The New Dawn
by Lord Maximus
Summary: Heroes and Villains, two opposite sides. The Heroes live by the rule of never killing while the Villains have no rules. But there is a group that walks a different path from the others, seemingly protecting the innocent but strikes down villains without hesitation. Some call them heroes while other call them killers. They are the new rising dawn on this world. They are the Akatsuki
1. The Leader

**The New Dawn**

**Hello everybody, I'm here with another big crossover. This is my first time writing a Naruto fic that will crossover with a great deal of other shows, bringing in parts from Justice League, Teen Titans, Young Justice and a great deal of other cartoons and anime. This idea has been in my head for a whole now and I decided to give it a try. It's all about focusing on a group of characters who walk a different path unlike heroes and villains, a grey path.**

**I don't own any of the shows or character that are part of the crossover but I do own any OCs I introduce along with powers, weapons, and any kind of special bloodline abilities I think of. Hope you all enjoy this.**

Xxx

_It's time like these I wonder just how the hell I end up in these situations._

_I guess I should start at the beginning. My name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, Sixth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village or Konohagakure, the Successor to the Rikudo Sennin or the Sage of the Six Paths, the second Jinchuriki of the Jubi and the most powerful Shinobi since my ancestor. Just a week ago I was engaged in fighting a war that would decide the fate of my entire world for all eternity when my dad's former student tried to revive the most powerful demon to ever exist. Despite his efforts when the other Biju gave their chakra to me to stop them and it was absorbed into Kurama and transformed him into the Jubi No Kitsune or the Ten Tailed Fox._

_From there I absorbed the rest of the Jubi into my seal, forever sealing it inside my family line. With the Jubi sealed forever we set our sights on Obito and his master, the bastard who started all of this, Madara Uchiha. My former friend and comrade Sasuke came to our aide and we both managed give Madara a good ass kicking. However Sasuke was mortally wounded and there was nothing we could have done to save him. _

_Before he died he performed a special technique to give me the Sharingan by transferring his chakra, which contained the essence of the Uchiha's spiritual energy to me and with the Jubi sealed inside me and my relation to the Senju Clan it evolved into the true Rinnegan, the very one my ancestor had when he sealed the original Jubi. I went after Madara who went on a rampage for revenge, killing almost everyone I have known and cared for. After a long and hard battle I managed to finally defeat him but he made one last attempt to kill me by opening a dimensional rift to trap me forever but too bad for that sorry bastard I managed to escape. I came out somewhere else; a place with tall buildings, people dressed strangely driving in different kinds of vehicles. _

_After gathering my bearings I set out to learn as much as I could of the new world I was in. I learned this world was larger than my own with more advanced technology and that the country I was in was called the United States or North America, governed by someone known as the President who was in charge of the country's economy and laws. This country also had several military branches that not only protected it but served to watch foreign countries with its soldiers ready to go to war should it be declared. Unlike kunai and shuriken these soldiers use projectile weapons called guns that fire small pieces of metal called bullets and there were no kinds of ninja here._

_Well, there were ninja but not my kind. They might be well trained and all but an academy student or a genin would be more of a threat. As I studied the countries I learned the country called Japan's culture and language was similar to my world which was interesting. But what was most interesting was the one thing that surprised me._

_The super heroes._

_You heard me, this world literally had super heroes running around and helping to protect the innocent and the weak from a whole bunch of villains. It was kind of weird, a whole bunch of people dressed in tights that reminded me too much of Gai and Lee's outfits but a lot flashier but was kind of cool that they protected the innocent. It was strange that so many heroes and villains had all these powers, perhaps most of them were some form of bloodline limit but I can think of that later. It was interesting to read about the Justice League, especially the info about Superman, Green Lantern, and the Flash._

_As for what I am going to do in this world I believe I can do my own brand of good around here but my method differs from the League's. I draw the line at murder but at the same as a Shinobi I was trained to kill my enemies if the situation calls for it. They however allow rapists, psychopaths, and murderers like that Joker to live only for them to come back after a week or so to kill again and the families mourn the loss of their husbands, wives, sons, daughters, and so on all because the heroes believe that if they kill they are no better than the criminals. I know I don't have to do anything since this is not my world but that is not who I am._

_The people who suffer mourn the loss of their loved ones as the criminals roam the streets looking for their next victim. Someone needs to speak for them if it's not going to be the Justice League. It's a matter of honor to me that I try and continue what my family, teachers, and friends tried to accomplish. I may be alone now but I vow to pass the teachings of my ancestors onto those I choose as my disciples to try and lead this world into true peace, the kind of true peace Pervy Sage fought for._

_I was still wondering just how I would do it when the city I was staying in, Jump City came under attack by an army of metal men called robots and apparently a girl with the power to manipulate the earth. _

_Well I was looking for something to do._

Xxx

Jump City was completely deserted except for the armies of robots created by the criminal mastermind known as Slade. They marched down the street, making there was no one out there who might threaten Slade's control of the city. His apprentice known as Terra had brought city to its knees, destroyed its defenders known as the Teen Titans, and now she was patrolling the streets. Despite her claim of having no regrets she was a very conflicted girl.

She felt a little empty since she had killed the Titans and Slade had been more demanding, having her do patrols around the city to make sure the police and the citizens stayed in line. She floated on a single rock as she moved down the street, flanked by several of Slade's robots. As she floated down the street she saw a figure walking down the street towards her. It was a male who looked to be in his mid-teens wearing a long white cloak with a chin high collar and was decorated with a strange eye on the back, red flames at the bottom, and the kanji **Nidaime Rikudo Sennin**(Second Sage of the Six Paths).

Underneath the cloak he wore dark blue pants, a sleeveless armoured vest over a sleeveless black shirt. He had golden shoulder length blond hair, tanned skin with whisker like marking on his cheeks, a black headband with a metal plate over the forehead with a leaf symbol engraved on it and a necklace, made of bead shaped jewels.

"Hey! This is now Slade's city now so you'd better get out of here!" Terra said, trying to make her voice threatening.

"Now that is not very nice." The boy remarked, as he looked at her, sounding like a school teacher scolding a student.

Terra was put off by his eyes; they were light greyish purple, including the sclera with six rings around a very small pupil in a ripple like pattern.

"One last chance." Terra said.

"Terra, why are you hesitating?" Slade asked through the intercom in her ear.

"I'm just giving him a chance to leave."

"If he refuses to listen then attack! Show no mercy!" Slade demanded.

The robots stepped forward, ready to tear him apart.

"If you attack me I will not hold back. You better come at me with the intent to kill because I won't hold back." The blond boy said coldly.

"One last chance. Get off the streets, now!" Terra said, suddenly feeling a bit afraid.

The robots stepped forward in front to take him out.

"Guess it's the hard way." The blond stepped forward and preformed a series of hand signs.

His cheeks bulged a little as he reared his head back and when he brought his heads forward, he spat _lava _that covered the robots and melted them quickly.

Terra gasped as she stepped back from seeing the attack. The guy spat _lava_ from his mouth!

"Terra, what are you waiting for? Attack!" Slade shouted.

Terra held out her hand even though it was shaking and rocks came out of the ground. She thrust her hand forward and sent them at the stranger. The blond boy simply stared at the rocks and held out his hand.

"**Shinra Tensai!"**

Terra felt like a truck had slammed into her as she was blasted back as a powerful force repelled her attack back at her. She was hit by the attacks and her own rocks that sent her skidding across the ground on her back. She got back up and watched as the blond boy approached her.

"Get away from me!" She sent a jagged piece of Earth into the boy's head.

However, instead of impaling the blond on the head it passed through his head like he was some sort of ghost.

"Wh-What?" She gasped as she stepped back. "How-how did you..."

"Trade secret." The young man smirked at her.

"Terra, attack!" Slade shouted.

Terra fired more pieces of earth at him but the boy simply used the same power that deflected her attacks and sent them back at her. She fell over on her back as she tried to crawl away.

"Someone please help..." She cried.

"You're lucky I'm not going to kill you since I don't like killing pretty girls, but I am going to find out what the hell is going on." The blond boy approached her.

Before Terra could react the boy put his hand on her head and she ended up completely paralyzed. Her eyes widened as she felt something inside her head, probing her mind without restraint and reading her memories like a book. She tried to fight but it felt like it was an entire ocean keeping her down but yet it was careful not to break her. When it was finally over he released her and she gasped in relief, unable to move or even speak as the experience had drained her completely.

"Well so that's what's going on. Thanks." The blond boy as Terra fainted and fell over.

He pulled out a scroll from his sleeve and unrolled it on the ground in front of her. Terra vanished in a puff of smoke into the scroll and the boy rolled it up as he put it away.

"I have an ass hole to visit."

Xxx

Slade was furious; his new apprentice had been defeated and captured by an unknown factor in his plan. As the stranger vanished he discovered some of his robots were being taken out...by the Titans! Terra failed to kill them! He turned to order Cinderblock, Plasmus, and Overload to head out and stop them when the doors to his underground base were blasted open. His eye widened when he saw the blond boy that took down Terra step in.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to be that prick Terra calls Slade would you?" The blond asked.

Slade narrowed his eye. "And if I am?"

"Then I'd have to say you have three seconds to live." The blond announced, his strange eyes glaring at him.

"Kill him!" Slade ordered and the three monsters charged at him.

"**Shinra Tensei!"** The boy said and the three monsters were blasted back so hard that they went over the edge and fell into the pit below.

Slade was shocked as the boy had easily destroyed three monsters that gave even the Teen Titans a hard time. He quickly regained his senses and threw a bomb at the mysterious young man who easily evaded by stepped out of the way allowing it to explode behind him. Slade dashed at him while he dodged the projectile and sent a fist to his face. The boy ducked under the punch and then jumped back from the kick that was sent next.

"You manipulated that girl into betraying her friends and into becoming a weapon for you that you could use and then throw away when she was no longer useful." The blond said coldly as he dodged Slade's attacks."That's something I don't like."

Slade sent his next punch but the blond suddenly vanished.

"**Wind Release: Gale Palm!"** Slade was shot forward by a blast of wind from behind him and he slammed into the wall.

His armour had several tears and cracks from the attack as he tried to get up but before he could he found himself pinned down, helped and unable to defend himself. The blond stood in front of him meaning that someone else was pinning him down. The intruder reached out and tore a piece of his mask off and stared at him. Slade struggled to move but couldn't budge and he watched as the young man's eyes turned red with a strange symbol resembling a form of pin wheel as the pupil.

Slade had no idea that he had made a costly mistake looking into those eyes.

Xxx

_Slade didn't know what had happened but the moment he looked in the boy's eyes his world had turned into a spiral of black and red. He woke up and found himself chained to a cross atop of black and white water and the sky was the colored red blood._

_"Welcome Slade, to Tsukuyomi." The blond stranger appeared in front of him, colored black and white like the sea under him._

_"What is this?" Slade snarled as he tried to break free._

_"Your punishment." A sword appeared in the stranger's hands._

_Slade's eye widened as the stranger stabbed him through the chest and grunted in pain. Naruto slowly pulled the sword out Slade looked down and to his shock he saw the wound had completely healed even though he had just been stabbed._

_"Tsukuyomi, the representation of spiritual world and darkness. In here, time, space, and even physical mass, I control them all. As punishment for all of your sins for the next seventy two hours you will be tortured by everyone you have wronged."_

_As if to prove his point Terra appeared in front of Slade, holding a sword in both of her hands. She stabbed him through the chest, earning another scream of pain. She twisted the sword, adding more pain before she pulled it out. Like before the wound instantly healed but the pain still lingered. Looking up he was greeted with the shocking surprise of seeing complete copies of himself chained to crosses with a familiar face in front of them, some of them were enemies while others had been allies or underlings._

_"Impossible!"_

_"As I said, time, space, and even physical mass, I control them all." The blond said heartlessly._

_In front of one of the copies was Cinderblock who reached with one giant hand and crushed the Slade copy's skull. Slade screamed in pain from the sensation of feeling his skull cracked open like an egg. Plasmus was next as he drowned his Slade in acid making the real Slade screamed he felt his skin burning as the acid ate away at him. Overload sent streams of electricity into his Slade's body, making the real one scream even louder._

_The next one was Beast Boy who changed into bear and sank his teeth into his Slade's throat, ripping a good amount of flesh and released a large amount of blood making the real Slade choke from the sensation. Starfire fired a barrage of starbolts from her hands and eyes, burning his skin from the sheer heat of bolts. Raven created a barrier around her Slade's face, leaving him unable to breathe and suffocated him a moment later._

_Cyborg aimed his sonic cannons at his Slade's face and blasted him several times. Robin held out a sword like Terra did and stabbed his Slade through the chest without end._

_"All of the torment, I wonder how long it'll be before your spirit is broken." The stranger spoke._

_Slade looked up, his eye bloodshot and he was gasping from the pain. He knew it was not over by a long shot and attempted to prepare himself for the torture that was to come. The pain continued for nearly three days and there were times Slade thought he was going to die but his wounds miraculously healed only to endure more pain. He was panting as he looked up at the stranger who maintained the cold and empty look on his face._

_"Seventy one hours, fifty nine minutes, and fifty nine seconds left to go..."_

_Slade's eyes widened with horror when he heard what this...this...demon had said._

_"That is not possible! That couldn't have been just a second!"_

_The stranger smiled coldly. "I told you. Here in the Tsukuyomi, I control time and space."_

_If that had only been a second..._

_That was when the torment began again._

_"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"_

_When it was finally over they were back in the real world and Slade let out a scream so loud it would have echoed across the city if he was on the surface. He fell over and as his vision clouded he looked up at the young man with strange eyes._

_"You had better learn from this because there will not be a next time."_


	2. The Earth Princess

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

Terra groaned as she regained consciousness. When she remembered what happened she sat up and looked around to find herself in a small cave. Looking down at herself she found that the suit and armour Slade had given to her had been stripped off, leaving her wearing just her bra and underwear that was covered up by a blanket.

"Where a-am I?"

"You're awake." Terra looked up to see who had spoken to her.

It was the blond boy who had knocked her out! He stood at the entrance to the cave a few feet back from Terra so she wouldn't get scared of him.

"Where are my clothes?" Terra quickly covered herself but got ready to fight.

"Gone, burned them when I saw what they were doing."

"What do you mean?" Terra kept the covers over her figure as she stood up.

"The suit was integrating itself into your nervous systems. It took me a week to remove that suit without hurting you. I had to keep you unconscious until it was off completely." As he spoke he brought out a black T-shirt and shorts out for her. "I burned them when I got them off."

"That was a mistake! When Slade finds us he'll kil-"Terra was cut off by another voice.

"That asshole won't be bothering anyone for a while."

"What do you mean?"

"I kicked his ass and made sure he never could use you again."

Terra was frozen in surprise by how casual he sounded when he answered her question.

"Ho-How..."

"Sorry but I had to know what's going on so when my hand was on your head I took a look around inside and found out that prick pretty much manipulated you to do his bidding. I found the location of his hideout, busted in, and kicked his ass." The blond smirked. "Nothing to it."

"Bu-But..." Terra stuttered.

"You should get dressed. I don't want to be accused of being a pervert." The blond pointed to some clothes sitting next to her before he walked out of the cave.

Terra quickly dressed herself and came out of the cave to talk to them who waited for her outside. She was wearing a simply black T-shirt and shorts and white sneakers.

"Why did you help me?"

"Because that Slade guy was a prick and I can't stand the idea of a pretty girl like you being controlled like that." The boy smirked when Terra blushed a bit. "He used you to betray your friends, to try and kill them and terrorize the city while he sat on his ass. That's something I can't stand."

"But how'd you...find him?"

"You told me." The boy replied, smirking as Terra looked confused. "I used an ability of mine to probe your mind that told me what Slade was doing, what he made you do, and where he was hiding. But enough of about that, I think we should introduce ourselves now. My name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze or just Naruto."

Terra could only say a small 'Hi' as she was surprised by what Naruto had said.

"I came here recently and I was looking for a place to stay when you attacked me." Naruto explained. "The other reason I saved you is because I need a guide, I'm not exactly from around here."

"Where are you from?" Terra asked.

"Would you believe me if I told you I'm from a completely different dimension and that I was sent here by a rip in time?"

Terra was silent for a few minutes. "Is that...true?"

"You don't sound so surprise."

"Lots of people have seen supernatural things, aliens, and stuff like that." Terra shrugged.

"Aliens? Those actually exist?" Naruto asked with wide eyes.

"...Yeah, demons, aliens, gods, I've heard of them and they actually do exist." Terra replied.

Naruto whistled. "This is one interesting world I've stumbled onto. But right now we need to find a place to stay. Good thing I got some money when the city was deserted. You want to come along or would you like the cave."

Terra made up her mind very fast and she decided to come with him. He quickly had her placed under a Genjutsu making her look like a different girl so one would recognize her and bought a room in a hotel to live in until they sorted it out what they should do. Right now Terra was having some much needed lunch while Naruto was meditating in his room, figuring what he was supposed to do.

Xxx

He stood in the center of his mind in front of a large cage.

**"Still wondering what is you are supposed to do?"** A voice asked from inside the cage.

Naruto watched as the most powerful creature known as the Jubi No Kitsune looked down upon him with its red multiple ringed eyes. Despite his transformation Kurama retained his soul and most of his original appearance but his fur was now gold with its eyes resembling the Rinnegan but they were red like Kurama's original eyes and he had ten tails instead of nine.

**"You've come a long way Naruto. Destroying that bastard who sought to use me and my siblings to enslave the world and taking up the mantle of Sage of the Six Paths, something only my Father had done."**

"And even the score with all the other bastards who had a hand in ruining my life." Naruto replied. "Only for that bastard Madara pull one last cheap trick all because he was pissed that he lost. I hope that sore loser burns in hell forever."

**"A strange new world for you to see, young sage."** Kurama commented. **"So many of these 'meta-humans' who are heroes and villains. All though these heroes seem to believe in leaving the villains, even the most dangerous ones alive."**

"I know, leaving all these villains and scum alive and letting them continue to cause pain and misery." Naruto nodded. "As bad as killing is, it becomes a necessary evil to ensure the safety of others."

**"And that leaves you, what shall you do in a world like this?" **Kurama asked.

"I want to help, but not abiding by the rules of those tight wearing idiots." Naruto replied. "Of course there's just me and possibly Terra."

During the short time they had been together Naruto had learned that Terra had been on the run since she was young because she was unable to control her powers. She had caused accidents wherever she had gone and ran because of the guilt. Then she had finally gained friends willing to help her but she left due to a misunderstanding and was found by that prick named Slade. After he rescued her Naruto had taken the time to create shadow clones subtly steal some money before the city was repopulated and used to rent a room in a hotel for him and Terra.

But he was not keen on having to steal for long and knew that he had to find another way to gain money.

**"Then you will have to find others who not only support your way but are strong." **

"Where are you going with this?"

**"Why not create an organization similar to the Akatsuki? You know your relative and his friends originally formed the Akatsuki to end the reign of tyranny in Amegakure and try to bring peace to the Elemental Nations. You can do the same to this world, create group with individuals who are against the idea of giving the most dangerous criminals the chance to kill again and seek to make this a better world."**

That was actually not a bad idea. The chance to start over and carry on the ideals of his teachers in the people he would choose as his disciples while working to establish a group that would protect the innocent rather than follow the law.

**"Of course it would mean you would eventually come into conflict with those so called heroes."** Kurama noted. **"They sound like they would object to this plan."**

"You're right, it won't be easy...but it'll be fun."

Xxx

Naruto opened his eyes as Terra came back in.

"So what's going on?" Terra asked as she sat on the couch.

She had been hanging around Naruto since he had been only one willing to help her and that they kept her safe from the Titans and Slade.

"Not much. I've just had an idea of what I plan to do for a living." Naruto smirked as he stood up. "I've been wondering what I am going to do in this world and I have an idea. There's a lot of suffering in this world and the heroes don't plan on getting their hands dirty just to keep more people from suffering. The problem is that I'm outnumbered and may need to find some...help."

"Help?" Terra asked.

"Back in my dimension a relative of mine created a group to help him make peace with our nations even though its purpose was corrupted." Naruto replied. "This organization was called the Akatsuki."

"Cool name. What's it mean?" Terra asked.

"It means Daybreak in your language. It's not a bad way to start a living in this new world. As much as I respect some of the heroes they have too much rules and they let innocents suffer by letting some criminals like this Joker live to cause more trouble." Naruto said.

"They do it because it's wrong to kill." Terra pointed out, even though she tried to kill the Titans and Naruto.

"It is, but that doesn't mean it's not necessary. I kill but only if I have a last resort and it would be against an enemy that has no chance of ever changing." Naruto replied. "It's what we were trained to do but we never took any joy or pleasure in killing and when we do it was to ensure that the enemy never has a chance to harm anyone ever again."

"So you want to create a group?" Terra changed the subject, even though she felt herself agreeing with him.

"Basically. Is that question your way of asking if you want to join up if I do?" Naruto asked.

"Well..." Terra rubbed the back of her head. "I have nowhere else to go. The Titans will arrest me for what I did when I was working for Slade; I still need to control my powers because what he did was making sure they were under his control, not mine."

"You only want to join because there is nowhere else to go? I'll let you stay if that's the reason but is it the only reason?" Naruto asked.

"Well...I've tried to be good but my powers always caused a disaster." Terra said sadly. "I thought I had real friends but I overreacted when I thought Beast Boy told them I couldn't control my powers. I thought Slade was someone I could trust but I know now that he was only interested in using me to kill the Titans. Every time I try to be good I screw up and I'm left alone."

Tears began to flow down her eyes so Naruto reached out and hugged her.

"If you want to join you can and if you want to leave you can walk out the door right here and now. If you join I'll help you but you better get ready because the training will be hard and you'll feel like you're about to drop and there will be times when you feel like you want to give up. You still up for it?" Naruto held out his hand.

Terra wiped her tears from her face as she looked at the hand for a few minutes and then looked at Naruto. "I'm in."


	3. The Academy

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

Terra had no idea what she had been getting herself into when she agreed to be the first to help Naruto form his new group. They had headed out into the forest outside of the city. When Terra agreed to Naruto's offer to train her he provided her a new outfit since the combat suit Slade gave her was the only thing she had for clothing when she was his apprentice. She now wore a black shirt that went up to her neck halfway and her forearms, black cargo pants, and ninja sandals on her feet.

"So why are we all the way out here?" Terra asked when they stopped.

"To make sure no one from the city shows up here and sees you. Can't have the Titans learning about you now can we?" Naruto asked as he turned around.

Terra had push down the guilt she felt from betraying them to Slade even though they survived they would no doubt take the chance to take her down if they saw her again.

"So what do we do?" Terra changed the topic.

"First off, I need to check something about your powers." Naruto's blue eyes morphed into his Rinnegan as he stared at her.

As his eyes scanned her he saw a bright yellow sphere in her chest that glowed like it was a sun and sent out waves of energy through her entire body. It must be the source of her powers and the way looked Terra could be capable of performing almost any type of Earth technique if she gained the control and strength for it. Her abilities could very well be a Bloodline ability and her chakra was bright yellow with very high reserves.

"What are you doing?" Terra asked after a moment.

"I was using my Rinnegan to see the source of your powers." Naruto smiled as he answered. "Judging from how it looks I believe you could perform any earth technique without the use of hand signs with the right amount of training. Could you demonstrate your powers so I can get a better look?"

Terra nodded and lifted a rock into the air. Naruto's Rinnegan watched as the source of Terra's power sent chakra out through her hand and lifted the rock into the air.

"Just as I thought." Naruto nodded as Terra dropped the rock. "Your powers are similar to what we use for earth techniques and similar enough for the training I have in mind but your powers will make it a whole lot easier."

"All right, then let's get started." Terra shouted happily, missing the sadistic gleam in Naruto's eyes.

She had no idea what she was in for. For the next few weeks Terra cursed Naruto and while at the same time was happy to be getting stronger. The training consisted of simple exercising activities like jogging, weight lifting, push ups, for about eight hours a day and Naruto made it worse when he applied something called weight seals to Terra's arms and legs making it even harder for her as she almost felt like she was going to collapse when she put them on. She had to wear them all the time, even when she slept in the house Naruto made for them.

She eventually got used to it after being sore for an entire week and along the physical exercises Naruto had her practice meditating like Raven would to focus her powers while lifting rocks, big and small into the air around her to help her control. Terra usually ended up exhausted after each day of training but time went by she noticed she had grown taller now with and her body was now well endowed and very pleasing to the eye thanks to the training and food and along something called food pills that Naruto had given her since because she had been on the road for so long she hadn't eaten properly and allowed her body to grow. She had grown taller, about as tall as Starfire and her body had filled out, looking very curvaceous, well endowed, and her body was well toned that was very pleasing to any guy who would see her.

After a month's worth of training Terra's body and skills were almost on par with an athlete in the Olympics. He also gave her lessons on how to use her powers to control and manipulate the earth around her, teaching her on she could use powers to not only make rocks or boulders float but to be able alter the composition, making them strong as the hardest rock, soft as clay, and even able to manipulate sand and dust. She trained in creating earth golems like Slade used her battle suit to but now she was in complete control of it and so much more. She could even use her powers for basic attacks without needing to raise her hands.

The earth had literally become her playground as she control, manipulate, and shape it to anything she wanted.

Along with hand to hand combat skills Naruto taught her how to use kunai, shuriken, combat knives, and smoke bombs, telling her that she would possibly need them if she somehow lost her powers. It wasn't easy but Terra was determined to make it through, she made it through Slade's torturous training and she would make it through this. She never gave up which pleased Naruto as he continued to help her through the training.

When the month ended they had taken a break and headed back into the city to grab some lunch. Naruto wore a simple black T-shirt with blue jeans with sunglasses over his eyes while Terra was disguised as young brunette so no one would recognize her. They looked up and saw a very muscular man with long brown hair, fangs coming out of the bottom of his mouth, but what made Naruto shudder was the black and yellow spandex outfit. He ate Naruto's burger in one big gulp. "That was good."

"You better plan on paying for that. I am pissed off that the city has no ramen and things get _very_ bad when I'm hungry."

"Ha! A tough guy, huh?" He burped in Naruto's face. "I'm hungry too and you should buy me another burger unless you want trouble."

Since Naruto was wearing sunglasses Mammoth didn't see Naruto activate his Rinnegan.

"Mammoth, let's go already!" A female voice complained behind the large man.

They looked to see a pale skinned girl with pink cat like eyes wearing a black long sleeved dress with black and blue stripped stockings and matching shoes. Next to her was a short bald headed kid wearing a green jumpsuit with a metallic backpack and goggles on his head.

"Hang on. Let's see the tough guy show me what he's got." Mammoth leaned into Naruto's face. "Go on. Give me your best shot."

Naruto smirked. "Okay."

POW!

Mammoth was sent flying back by a single punch from Naruto's fist that was enhanced by chakra. The blow sent him flying through the window of the restaurant and out into the middle of the street. Jinx and Gizmo were still with shock as the stranger just punched out Mammoth and didn't even bat an eye.

"You'll pay for that!" Gizmo shouted as spider legs came out of his pack making everyone else in the restaurant except Terra run out screaming.

When he wasn't looking Naruto threw several explosive kunai that exploded and took out Gizmo's spider legs. He quickly grabbed his backpack and tore it off. He tossed Gizmo over his shoulder and he landed on top of the knocked out Mammoth.

Jinx quickly fired a blast of energy at him but he held up his hand and it was absorbed into the palm. "What?! How'd you do that?"

"Secret, you might want to look after your buddies because the Titans are probably on their way and tell you big friend that he needs some mouthwash." Naruto slapped some money on the table and they walked out.

As they walked through an alley Naruto stopped and turned around. "You want to come out and show yourself?"

Terra didn't understand what Naruto meant until an old man with white hair and wearing white and gold robes came out of the shadows.

"I must say, the way you defeated my top students is impressive." He stopped a few feet away.

"And you are?" Naruto asked.

"My name is Brother Blood and I run a school for future super villains and seeing as you easily defeated my top students I'd say you are more than qualified to join." Blood's eyes glowed bright red as he spoke.

Naruto discreetly stepped in front of Terra to shield her from Blood's mind control while he was immune. Naruto heard the Jubi growling from his mind and focused his Rinnegan on the man.

'This idiot actually thinks he can brainwash me. He has a hint of demonic chakra inside of him that he focuses through his eyes to control anyone who looks in them. They're powerful but I've seen better.' Naruto thought before speaking. "Fine, I'll join but only because I have nothing better to do." Or at least he had nothing better to do until he found out every secret this supposed 'school of super villains' had; then he could kill some time demolishing their precious corporation.

"Excellent. Jinx will show you the location tomorrow so be sure to bring a costume." Blood disappeared into the shadows.

When they knew he was gone they returned to the hotel room they had been staying at.

"So, we're actually joining that guy?" Terra asked as she sat on her bed.

"Just until we have enough information." Naruto answered. "But before we do that we need to make sure no one recognize you. Since HIVE used to work with Slade its possible they know about you and your powers. So we need to make sure no one gets the connection."

"How do we do that?" Terra tilted her head.

"Simple, you can completely manipulate the earth but there are some sub elements that can be manipulated by people with an earth element." Naruto pulled out a kunai. "Metal for starters."

He held it up to her as she stood up.

"Metal is another element of earth that can also be manipulated. Focus your powers on the kunai and see if you can manipulate it."

Terra nodded as she held her hands out around the kunai and focused her powers on it. It seemed as hard as manipulating the earth when she had trouble controlling her powers but slowly the kunai was lifted into the air. Terra gasped at her success, losing control and dropped the kunai.

"You've got it but still need some work." Naruto nodded. "Keep at it and you'll be able to manipulate earth and metal at will."

Terra nodded and continued her training in manipulating metal, Naruto giving her pointers of focusing her powers. She most of the day focusing on lifting the kunai in the air like how she would control a rock and once she succeeded she trained on manipulating the shape of the metal. Naruto interrupted her training telling her to get some rest and they'd continue it at the HIVE Academy.

Xxx

Life for the Teen Titans had pretty much returned to normal since Terra and Slade disappeared. They had searched high and low after they revealed they had faked their deaths only to find Slade's robotic army destroyed and no evidence as to what happened to Slade or Terra. They had completely vanished with no sign of what had happened to her or where she had gone. Robin had spent the last few weeks looking for answers along with the others but since the city had been repopulated they had to focus on the usual of stopping other criminals.

"There's still nothing going on. I checked all my sources and they've found nothing on what happened. It's like Terra and Slade just fell off the face of the Earth." Robin sighed as he sat down.

"No bodies, no reports of them being caught, I've been running security cameras and checking the logs but nothing." Cyborg looked away from the computer. "Maybe we're not investigating the right angle on this, Robin. Instead of asking the usual leads we should see what the criminals know."

"You may have a point there." Robin nodded as he leaned back on his chair.

"One small problem, dude. What criminal would talk to us?" Beast Boy pointed out rhetorically.

Beast Boy had more reason than anyone to find Terra after she did and he was determined to find her and bring her to justice.

"I know, trust me I know. Terra and Slade are dangerous criminals and we can't let them get away with what they've done." Robin nodded.

Xxx

Naruto adjusted the mask that was similar to the one Kakashi wore over his face. He wished he didn't have to wear one but a costume was required in HIVE Academy. The outfit he chose was a black body suit with grey armour. Naruto had chosen the codename Pein after the original leader of the Akatsuki and his relative. He also disguised his hair to make it look orange like the color of his relative's friend, Yahiko to hide his identity. Terra chose Gaia as her codename and seemed to be about as bored as he was.

She wore a black tight muscle shirt, black jeans, brown gloves like the ones she wore when she was with the Titans, and sneakers. Pein changed her hair to make it brown just in case someone recognized her by her blond hair and she wore a simple mask like Robin's over her eyes. They sat together in a row of chairs surrounded by other HIVE students, almost all of them young and in custom made costumes as Blood stood before them in front of a very large computer screen.

"Welcome, students, both new and old, to another year at the HIVE Academy. To all the new students I hope you have a good year and learn well. HIVE Academy's purpose is to show young meta-humans how to control and hide their powers so they can walk out into the world without fear of noticing them and reacting with fear and hatred. Most of you have no idea what you want to be in the future, whether it be a hero, a villain, or just a normal person." Blood announced to the rows of gathered students. "Not only do we try to teach you how to control your powers but we seek you to find your purpose whatever it might be, understanding who you are, what you think you want to be, and what ethics you believe you should adhere to."

'At least until you brainwash them all.' Pein thought as he surveyed the students around him. 'Most of them have already succumbed to his control. A few of them seem to be unconsciously fighting his control but the longer they stare in his eyes the stronger his control becomes.'

Before they had arrived Naruto had provided Terra with a seal that instantly blocked Blood's control by emitting a special field of chakra around the person the seal was placed on where it easily negated any type of Genjutsu used against the person with a few more special abilities. Naruto theorized that Blood's form of control was hypnosis made through eye contact, much like the Sharingan. He looked his victim into the eye and used a powerful form of hypnosis to slowly implant false feelings and memories into the victim's mind. This control could be disrupted by a pulse of chakra but Terra did not have the experience to disrupt Genjutsu yet so Naruto placed the seal on the back of right hand.

He had no way of knowing if his seal could actually work but he saw with his own eyes that Terra was the only one who was not being affected by Blood's power.

"To be at the HIVE means you are different, outcasts, even amongst meta humans and you have no one you can trust or count on. While here at the Academy while we grant you a home with food and a nice bed to sleep on we expect dedication, commitment, and the determination to become much more than you were before. You will all be assigned dorms with all the necessary requirements for both class and recreation. Here you will be expected to follow our rules and any breach of these rules will result in your expulsion." Blood said with a hard edge in his voice that slightly scared almost everyone.

Keyword: Almost.

"There are many people who would be unhappy about the existence of an academy teaching a large group of young meta-humans so the number one rule above all is keeping the existence of this place a secret. Despite what they think the HIVE is not meant to turn you all into super villains but to give knowledge so we can prepare you for the real world what dangers it may hold. We are neither super 'heroes' nor 'villains' but merely people wishing to live the life we want without fear of prosecution." Blood continued. "Heroes like the Teen Titans see us villains but in reality we exist so the Titans can go on their so called heroic crusade that feeds their egos as the people lavish them with praise."

As the students began to thoughtful looks as they considered what Blood had said Naruto and Terra were not so easily fooled.

Naruto carefully touched Terra's shoulder. 'Don't react. Just look like you're buying it.'

Terra should have been surprise he could telepathically talk to her but after a week of training with him nothing surprised Terra anymore.

'You think he's lying?'

'I know he's lying. He's playing on their fear of rejection and prejudice but at the same time he's mixing the truth with lies to make it believable. The best lies always have a hint of truth mixed with it.' Naruto explained. 'You've seen it before.'

Terra remembered how Slade had skillfully manipulated her into betraying the Titans all because of her fear of rejection.

'He makes it look like the heroes are as bad as the villains to make sure no one would consider betraying him while he uses his powers to fully indoctrinate them completely.

"Now, enough with philosophy and let us get on with our year. The environment here is very similar to High School for those of you who have briefly attended normal human schools. Classes begin at 8:00 on Monday to Friday with weekends off, allowing for rest and relaxation."

Blood held up a remote and the computer screen showed the daily schedule for new students.

"As you can see the classes not only teach basic self defence but provides education on mathematics, foreign languages, History, a class on how to use technology for beginners. These are all mandatory but after the first term we have voluntary class on subjects you may be interested. Now then, unless there are extenuating circumstances you are expected to always arrive at your classes on time, with each one lasting three hours with four classes held each day." Blood continued.

'Check it out. They all have classes that cover a lot on how to control your powers, even one that helps you learn how to fly.' Terra thought.

'These guys are good. The system they have set up makes it look like a normal school despite the major difference.' Naruto replied.

"Now you all have dorms assigned to you and you will have at least one roommate to share the room. It is with our hopes you will all have the chance to bond during your time here. You will have a curfew with lights out at eleven PM with HIVE Enforcers on guard for anyone who is caught outside their dorms, breaking curfew. Now then I hope you all enjoy the rest of your day, familiarizing yourself here with our facilities and remember you have class tomorrow." Blood finished his speech, dismissing everyone.

Xxx

"On one hand I believe you when you say Blood is using everyone but at same time I wish this school hadn't turned out like this." Terra said as they walked down the hall. "Think of how many kids it could have helped."

"It's human to want to believe there is a place where everyone is accepted despite what differences they may have." Naruto remarked. "But at the same time you must remember there will always be people waiting to exploit that wish."

"So now what? You and I have separate rooms, how can we communicate?" Terra asked, getting puzzled when she saw the reassuring look in Naruto's eyes.

"I have something set up for just the occasion. Remember that meditation technique I taught you?"

"Yeah?" Terra slowly answered.

"Try it when you think you won't be bugged tonight and you'll see." Was all Naruto would say.

Terra could only stare and wonder what he was up to this time. Shrugging she walked off to find her room leaving Naruto smiling as he looked for his room.

Xxx

As Naruto walked down the yellow colored hall towards the room that was assigned as his he took the chance to notice the security measure. His Rinnegan spotted small devices resembling cameras installed into the walls, no doubt to monitor movements.

'Security cameras, panels emitting a strange light that probably scan anyone who passes through them and monitors movement. Too bad they won't work on me.' Naruto thought.

"Hey, dick-weed!"

He was interrupted from his thoughts by the familiar voice of one of the HIVE students he encountered earlier, Mammoth if his memory was right. He slowly turned around to see the large hulking teen march towards him, cracking his fists.

"Time for payback." Mammoth grinned.

Behind him was Gizmo who was grinning eagerly.

"Hello there. Is there something I can help you with?" Naruto asked nicely.

"Actually yeah, you can still and let me beat you to a bloody pulp for humiliating us yesterday." Mammoth replied.

"Hmm...Have we met before?" Naruto asked innocently.

His words seemed to the kind of reaction he was hoping for as Mammoth growled angrily.

"The guy who's going to splatter your guts all over the hall!"

He raised his fist and thrust at Naruto's head who raised one hand...

And blocked Mammoth's fist easily!

"Huh?!" Both Mammoth and Gizmo gasped at how easily his fist was blocked.

"You know, I never did like bullies."

Mammoth never had the chance to react as a blow to the chest sent him flying back and he slammed into the wall at the far end of the hall. He slid down to the floor, groaning from the blow while Gizmo simply gapped at what had happened. Naruto in the meantime, simply walked off without even looking back. As he walked away he spotted the girl with pink hair in the shape of horns, Jinx if he remembered correctly watching from a corner near where her teammates had been. She lingered for a second before walking away.

**"I love it when you do that. The look on the faces of those brats as you scared the hell out of them like that."** Kurama snickered.

'I know. It's always fun.' Naruto thought as he stopped in front of a door. 'Room 37, here it is.'

He held out his ID card and swiped it inside the swiper. The door slid opened and he peeked inside. The room was colored dark blue along the walls with white floors. There was a small kitchen with a refrigerator, a wooden table with three chairs.

At the end of the room were two doors leading to two separate bedrooms with a bed, a desk with a chair and a lamp, a book case, dresser, a closet, a night table with a lamp.

'Not a bad set up. Makes the kids feel right at home.' Naruto thought as he sat in the right bedroom. 'Now I wait and see if Terra is able to contact me and wait for my roommate.'

He looked up when he heard the door opened, meaning that his new roommate must have arrived.

"Hi there! I saw how you beat that thug Mammoth down! Name's See-More."

Naruto found it hard to believe he'd met someone with an even flashier costume than most of the heroes he had seen and read about but this one took the cake. His new roommate wore a white and green body suit but what stood out was his helmet. The green helmet that covered everything above his mouth with a single large bulbous eye. He looked more like a carnival attraction than a kid with super powers.

"Hi, my name's Pein." Naruto greeted, shaking See-More's hand.

"Pain?" See-More asked.

"Technically it's spelled P-E-I-N because it's actually how you say Pain in Japanese." Naruto quickly explained.

"Oh, okay." See-More smiled. "Japanese huh? Usually we only have people from the States."

"I just moved here when the HIVE sent me an invitation to attend here. I must say I'm impressed by what they've set up." Naruto remarked.

"Yeah, it's a lot to take in." See-More set his bags down on the second bedroom. "I only joined a month ago when a teacher found me on the streets. Good thing or I wouldn't have lasted much longer."

Naruto frowned when he heard that last part. It was obvious in some places meta-humans were considered outcasts, much like Terra.

"So just you?" See-More asked.

"No, my friend Gaia was also allowed to attend." Pein replied, wonder how she was holding up.

"Cool. Say, Pein, you want to play Gamestation?"

Xxx

Terra swiped her card into the ID swiper, opening the door labelled 49, the same number that she had been assigned to. "Here it is."

She opened the door and looked inside, finding the room to be exactly the same as the one Naruto had found except the other person who had been assigned here made it first.

"Hello. Nice to meet my new roommate."

Jinx sat in the left bedroom, having already personally decorated to suit her style. The walls of her bedroom were dark purple, the bed had blue covers and pillows, a large mirror, a closet filled with clothes that dark blue, pink, or black. Terra spotted several voodoo dolls of the Titans sitting on the small night table sitting next to the bed making her raise an eyebrow.

"My name is Jinx and it looks we'll be sharing a room for the next few months." Jinx said as she walked over and held out her hand.

"I guess so. My name's Gaia." Terra shook Jinx's hand. "I just got here but I got to say it looks very interesting.

"And your friend?" Jinx asked carefully.

"Pein? He seems okay." Terra shrugged.

"He seemed to be staring off at the introduction." Jinx pointed out.

"The speech was a little long." Terra shrugged. "I was close to falling asleep."

Jinx laughed. "Yeah it was pretty long. So, Gaia, just how long have you known...Pein?"

Terra looked confused but slowly answered. "Almost a month. Why?"

"Just curious." Jinx shrugged. "He seems pretty strong, the way he managed to defeat us."

"That's because he is strong." Terra walked into the bedroom left for her. "I know because I have seen how strong he can be."

"Really?" Jinx asked, sounding interest as she tilted her head. "Perhaps you can introduce me and we can all get to know each other. You are new here and I've been here before."

"No hard feelings for the beat down your friends got?" Terra raised an eyebrow.

"I can hardly call those losers friends. Teammates at best since they can be really annoying." Jinx scoffed.

That was mildly speaking since Gizmo was a whiny loud mouth brat and Mammoth had apparently never heard of deodorant. Even though they functioned well as a team Jinx usually had a major headache from dealing them when they were not on missions. Things had gotten worse when they had been sent back to the Academy following the failure of their assignment given to them by Slade with Gizmo and Mammoth becoming nearly unbearable. She really hoped that she could get a new team with teammates who were actually competent this year.

And right now the new guy, Pein and Gaia might be the ones she's looking for.

"Here let me help you unpack." Jinx said as Gaia opened her bag.

"Oh, it's okay. I didn't have before I got my invitation." Gaia said, pulling out only a comb, an I-pod, deodorant, a tooth brash, tooth paste, and shampoo.

"Wow, even a few kids who came off the street had more." Jinx commented before realizing what she said. "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean..."

"It's okay. I never really stayed in one place for very long. Say, I don't mean to pry but I heard you along those two friends of yours already graduated." Terra pointed out.

Jinx frowned. "We did, until we were forced to attend the first class again."

She threw a look in her room, glaring at the voodoo dolls of the Titans. Terra remembered Beast Boy mentioning that she and the others had fought the Titans and lost. That must have been what sent them back here.

"Anyways I think it'd be a good idea if I look out for some new potential teammates, ones that actually take things seriously." Jinx continued. "And you and that Pein guy seem to be the serious type."

"We are when we need to be." Terra shrugged. "But we're the new guys."

"And your friend beat down Mammoth like he was a little brat not to mention he beat all of us when we first met." Jinx said, even though past memories of losing stung a little. "What about you?"

Terra reached into her back and pulled a small knife. She concentrated her powers on it and slowly lifted it into the air.

"I can control metal but only small things." Terra explained, hiding the fact she was using her earth powers to control the elements in the metal. "Pein was training me when we were recruited."

Jinx watched as the knife floated back into Terra's hand. "Still, it's impressive. I can show you the ropes on how to help control and improve your powers."

"That'd be nice."

Terra and Jinx continued their conversation for a half hour until it was time for bed. Terra sighed as she finished brushing her teeth. Remember what Naruto told her she sat on her bed in a meditative position and focused her powers on her seal while making a hand sign.

Xxx

Terra opened her eyes and she saw she was no longer in her room but in the very same cave she had awoken in after she had first met Naruto. "Huh? Where am I?"

"Terra."

She looked up and spotted a shadowy holographic image, reflecting an array of multiple colors but no distinguishing features other than its eyes. She looked down at her hands and saw that her body was also transparent with multiple colors flashing down her figure.

"Naruto?" She asked, her voice having an electronic tone added to it.

"Hey Terra." Naruto replied, his voice having an electric tone as well.

"What is this?" Terra looked around the cave. "How did we get here?"

"We're still in the HIVE Academy but I thought our meetings for now would be here." Naruto explained. "This is an astral projection technique that you can use thanks to the seal I gave you. It works by converting your thought waves to chakra which are then picked by me and brought here as astral projections."

"Wow." Terra said, awestruck. "That is so awesome."

"I'm glad you like it." Naruto said, amused. "So, how do you like HIVE Academy?"

"It's very cool, a lot of people here who seem a lot like me. I heard a few of them were on the streets before coming here." Terra said, slightly happy but turned sad a second later. "I almost wish that Blood wasn't who he was."

"I'm sure you are not alone." Naruto nodded. "I just met my new roommate, a guy with a very big eye named See-More who showed me his Gamestation. I got hooked on that thing the moment he turned it on and we spent the last hour playing it."

"I remember spending nights in the tower playing the tower with Cyborg. We played till it was past midnight and Robin told us to go to sleep!" Terra laughed. "I never got the chance to beat his high score."

"Well what about you? Did you meet your roommate?"

"Yeah, her name's Jinx. I heard from Slade she used to be one of the top graduates from the Academy but when the Teen Titans beat them they were sent back here. They were dumped back down to the freshmen class and have to repeat the whole grade all over again." Terra explained. "She's interested in us, Nar. She doesn't like her current teammates and thinks if she graduates with us she can have a new team."

"Hmm..." Naruto made a sound that told Terra he was frowning. "Did she explain how it worked?"

"Well, there are some classes that tests how well we can work as a team by randomly pairing us up every class. The team with the highest scores is labelled as the Elite in the Academy and they can graduate early. Jinx was paired with those guys she was with earlier, the big buy called Mammoth and the little runt called Gizmo. The team was apparently the best because their skills complimented each other, Mammoth was brute strength, Gizmo was the genius with fancy gadgets, and Jinx was the one with the magical powers." Terra explained.

"They complement each other's skills perfectly from what you say even if they do not get along." Narito said thoughtfully.

"That's what I thought. She's offering to show us around the Academy a bit to get to know us better and help us out." Terra pointed out.

"Well, it looks like we have a possible ally then." Naruto nodded.

"We're not going to manipulate her or anything right?" Terra slowly asked.

"Of course not!" Naruto exclaimed. "I would never do that! I meant we need someone to help us out and if she gets to know us well enough we might turn her into a friend. Let's wait and see what she actually wants."

"Okay...so how do I get back to my body?" Terra looked down at the holographic image of her body.

"Stop channeling your powers into the seal I gave you and you'll return to your body." Naruto said. "I'll see you in the morning Terra."

"Right, night Nar."

With that said both images faded, leaving the cave empty.

Xxx

**"Interesting batch you have acquired Blood."**

Brother Blood stood in a dark room with giant computer screens lined along the walls showing figures obscured by bright light.

"Why thank you, I aim to please." Blood smirked. "With the right conditioning and training you all will have an army of perfectly trained meta-humans at your disposal."

"For your sake, we better like the results. A lot of money was spent on this Academy and its current record has been lacking." The person on the left screen grunted.

"I assure you all we have a new batch with much promise. I have already begun setting in the first stages of the plan and you will have the first working Ion Amplifier by the end of the month." Blood said confidently.

"Good. We want to see the results very soon." The person in front of Blood said. "But what of the Titans? They are lead by the former apprentice of Batman and they defeated this Academy's best students before."

"They have been disciplined and reminded what happen should they fail again but I have already come across someone who might become the New Elite." Blood's smile grew.

**"The ones you offered a full sponsorship?"** The electronic voice asked from the right wall.

The shadowy figure was not human shaped but the outline of a brain was seen at the top of the cone shaped body.

"Yes, Pein and Gaia. Both of them seem to be able to resist my control but Pein easily defeated the former HIVE Elite. In time they will no doubt be under my control but I believe this is a chance to test them and their skills against the Titans." Blood explained.

"That is risky, especially if they are not under your control." The one on the left pointed out.

"Perhaps but if they hadn't contacted the Titans before they encountered me it means that they have no reason to believe HIVE is not a school for outcasts." Blood replied. "In fact I was wondering if I could one of your assassins follow and observe them, Ra's."

He spoke to the shadowy figure that had a long black moustache.

"None of my students or guards have the training to blend into the shadows like you and with Batman's apprentice leading the Titans I need someone who can monitor any battles without being noticed." Blood explained.

Ra's was silent for a moment. "Very well. I know who can assist you but she will not interfere or help your new students in anyway."

"Of course." Blood bowed his head. "Then, a toast gentlemen to the upcoming change in the world."

The screens went dark, leaving Blood alone.

"And to advancement of my school."


	4. The Grinning Cat

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

It was easy to wake up in the morning, mostly because he was used to being a very light sleeper.

"Yo come on man!" See-More knocked on the door to his bed room. "You'll miss breakfast if you keep sleeping!"

Or if you had a very annoying roommate.

"Ugh..." Naruto groaned as he opened his eyes.

He suddenly remembered why he hated getting up early so he could get to the Academy on time, not that he ever actually made it on time.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Naruto groaned as he sat up.

"Hurry, dude! We ain't got much time!" See-More called from the other side of the door.

Naruto sighed as he threw the covers off him and dressed quickly in the body armor and mask he had chosen for his outfit at the HIVE Academy. Activating his Rinnegan as he opened the door he gave See-More his best annoyed looking glare he could make which made See-More step back and chuckle nervously.

"Hey, we can't be late dude." See-More raised his hands. "It would look bad for us."

Naruto sighed as he closed his eyes and opened them a second later. "Yeah, I know. Come on, let's go."

See-More allowed his roommate to walk past and followed him out of the room. As they walked down the hall Naruto was once more reminded of how the yellow colored walls reminded him of a bee hive, hence the name HIVE Academy.

'Seriously though, it's like announcing that everyone is here is just a simple bee meant to obey the queen or whatever giant bug that's in here.' Naruto thought.

**"Then these brats might be too stupid to figure that out."** Kurama joked.** "Maybe we should call the old ghoat out on that."**

'Maybe we will.' Naruto thought with a smirk.

As they entered the cafeteria Naruto, or rather Pein as he referred to himself here perked up at a familiar voice. "Hey Pein!"

Smiling as Terra or rather Gaia called out to him, waving from her table he waved back as he followed See-More to the counter where the food was being displayed for the hungry students. He picked up some bacon and eggs while See-More got himself some cereal before sitting down at the table Gaia and someone else were at. Pein recognized the pink haired girl from before when they first met at the restaurant along with her teammates.

"Hi there." Jinx simply said as he and See-More sat down. "I'm Jinx, Gaia's roommate for the semester."

"My name is Pein." Pein said pleasantly and gestured to See-More. "This is See-More, my roommate."

"Wow..." Gaia briefly looked over See-More who smile and greeted her.

Jinx barely glanced at See-More before turning her eyes back on Pein. Judging from the look in her eyes it was obvious she was interested in meeting him and Terra. While most of the students here were only interested in having fun or thinking of how their classes would be Jinx was much more confident and focused. She looked the type who took charge even if no one asked her and she wanted to be the best in the eyes of her peers.

Terra told him that Jinx didn't think highly of her current teammates, given their mannerisms and how they were forced to retake the first grade all over again because they failed to beat the Titans. She was obviously very ambitious, he could see just from looking at her. If she was interested in meeting and talking to him and Terra it meant she was looking for a chance to make a new team. At least she wasn't the bossy obnoxious type plus if he played his cards right they might make a few new friends in this place.

"Hey, Wykkyd!" See-More waved his hand.

They all watched as a boy with light blue tinted skin approached the table. He wore a light purple body suit, black gloves, black boots, black shorts under a white belt, and a dark cloak that went down to his ankles, coming from a head piece that resembled a bat's ears or horns. He had crimson red eyes with no pupils that made him look slightly dangerous. At least it did before he showed an honest friendly at See-More's call and sat down next to him.

"Everyone, this is Kid Wykkyd." See-More introduced.

Wykkyd smiled and bowed his head to everyone.

"That's an interesting name." Gaia remarked.

Kid Wykkyd made a series of hand motions that Pein recognized as sign language, meaning that Kid Wykkyd might be a mute.

"Uh..." Gaia asked, wondering what Kid was doing.

"He's trying to talk Gaia. If I had to guess he's a mute." Pein replied.

Kid responded with a smile and a nod.

"Oh... That must be a drag..." Gaia slowly said.

Kid simply shrugged, meaning he was use to it by now.

"Kid here can teleport himself along with anyone touching him and he can also create dark portals through any physical object. The guy's like a ninja, no one in the entire Academy has been able to sneak through any kind security like he can." See-More explained.

"Really?" Pein asked, watching as Kid looked somewhat embarrassed by the praise.

"It's true. He's the top student for Stealth and Infiltration in the Academy." Jinx pointed out. "He hasn't graduated yet because the teachers have yet to evaluate his fighting prowess because he likes to avoid most fights here."

"It's not his faults he avoids most fights here." See-More said, moving to his friend's defense. "With guys like Mammoth always walking down the hall looking for someone to stop on."

"I know." Jinx simply said. "However you know that here at HIVE if you don't win these fights you won't get a passing grade."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gaia asked.

"Here at HIVE the strongest are determined by spars in the Hand to Hand Combat classes and the obstacle course but we are encouraged to spar outside of the class as much as possible. Pein, you remember Mammoth challenging you last night?" Jinx turned to eyes back to Pein who nodded. "You are a new guy here yet you just beat down the guy who was seen as the physically strongest in the Academy. That pretty much ruined his reputation and his marks considering he was beat down so easily."

Pein frowned when she finished explaining. It sounded like bullying was encouraged here at the HIVE Academy if Mammoth and guys like him were the strongest because they liked to pick on other students. He probably shouldn't have been too surprised considering what kind of Headmaster he suspected Brother Blood was.

"So you might want to be careful because there's no way Mammoth's going to take it lying down." Jinx pointed out.

"Tch, he can try." Pein scoffed.

"So the reason you and Kid are having trouble is because of Mammoth and guys like him?" Gaia asked See-More.

"Gizmo too. Like Jinx said, the more fights you win the higher you get. Me and Kid don't have the strength or the smarts to win against Gizmo." See-More replied.

From the way Kid looked Pein suspected it because he avoided fights rather than allowed himself to be attacked. See-More probably stood out and was easy for them to beat.

"Well then, perhaps if you hang out with us you can have a chance to pass." Gaia offered.

"What do you mean?" See-More asked.

"If losers like Mammoth and that little brat are considered the top me and Pein won't need a week to knock them off their pedestal." Gaia grinned.

Pein chuckled at Gaia's confidence, showing off Kakashi's infamous 'eye-smile'. "Sounds fun."

Jinx thought it over as she looked at See-More and Wykkyd. To be honest she had only come to speak to Pein and Gaia because she wanted them as her new teammates but right now it would be a good idea to befriend them first and support whoever else might befriend them. None of them looked like the fighting type but Wykkyd's stealth skills could come in handy and even if he wasn't a fighter See-More's enhanced vision could come in handy. Right now she just needed to make sure they all passed their classes and thankfully she had a few ideas of what they were up against.

"Hey Jinx! What are you doing talking to those slug-faces!" A loud obnoxious voice called out.

'Oh no.' Jinx groaned as she spotted Gizmo walking towards their table.

"Why are you with these brainless snot munchers? Especially the freak who humiliated us!" Gizmo pointed at Pein.

"Go away, Gizmo. I'm not in the mood to change your diaper." Jinx softly said, earning snickers from rest of the group while Gizmo fumed.

"I know it! You're trying to ditch us for these crud-loving losers!" Gizmo shouted.

"Hey, junior, maybe if you're really nice I might show you how to use real insults." Gaia said, getting annoyed with Gizmo's attitude.

"Shut up, pie for brains! You might as well quit because no one in this academy is going to even come close to being the Elite except for me!" Gizmo proclaimed. "So quite acting so cool, snot brain!"

"Guys, do you hear that?" Pein said suddenly. "Did you guys hear something that sounded like a very loud monkey howling?"

See-More snickered while Kid and Jinx smirked as Gizmo fumed.

"You'll be sorry you ever crossed me, snot eater!" With that Gizmo stomped away from them.

"And he's your teammate?" Gaia turned to Jinx who sighed.

"Don't remind me. He may be smart but he's a complete brat. Always running his mouth off like he's the king of the world." Jinx muttered.

"Ouch. Sucks to be you." Gaia remarked.

"Yeah well, maybe this time I'll get a new team with someone who's actually bearable." Jinx replied.

"Say, Pein you might want to hurry and eat before class starts." See-More pointed out.

"Sure, I'll just...WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!" He shouted and pointed behind them

"What?!" Everyone turned and looked.

When they saw nothing they turned and saw the food on Pein's plate completely empty.

"Sorry, must have been seeing things." Pein chuckled innocently.

"How did you do that?" See-More asked, surprised someone could eat so fast and put their mask back just a second later.

"Well it's like this..." Pein leaned forward to whisper.

They all leaned in hear his secret.

"...It's a secret."

Everyone, including Gaia ended up hitting the table with their faces as Pein laughed out loud, attracting the attention of nearly everyone else in the cafe.

"Dude, you're an ass!" See-More pouted. "Not cool!"

Gaia sighed but smiled. "I should have seen that coming. I can't believe I actually fell for that and I've known him longer."

Kid Wykkyd made several hand motions but the smile on his face told him he was not grumpy over the joke but in fact thought it was funny. Jinx in the meantime simply sighed as she realized things might just be a little harder than she had thought. Soon enough breakfast was over and everyone was their way to the first class of the new semester.

Jinx led them down the hall towards the class. "First class we all take is Basic Beginners Class where we simply fill out some sheets on where we are from and what we can do. This will help the teachers figure out how to best teach us down the road."

"Interesting." Was all Pein said as the first day of school started.

Xxx

"Get ready...Get set...Go!"

Three gigantic robots towered over him their chest opened up to reveal about thirty blasters that were all trained on their target. They fired an endless barrage of green bolts that slammed into him, covering him in green goo, effectively immobilizing him. The robots stopped when they saw their target was incapacitated.

"Ha! I knew the snot for brains couldn't do!" Gizmo shouted as everyone who was not in the simulation watched.

"Will someone pass the brat his pacifier to shut him up already?" See-More said, earning chuckles and snickers as Gizmo growled.

**"Shinra Tensei!"** The person trapped in the goo shouted in his mind.

That goo was instantly ripped off him by a powerful blast of gravity that expanded out and slammed into the three robots. Their bodies shattered as they fell over and the person they attacked stood up, brushing the remaining goo off his sleeve. He looked around and saw his fellow students and teammates having some trouble. Kid Wykkyd created a shadow portal to evade the incoming fire from another giant robot and he reappeared on top of the robot.

Reaching down with his hand, he created a portal that allowed him reach down and smash the robot's computer brain. It fell over and Kid jumped off, landing perfectly on his feet. Gaia in the meantime slammed her fist into the leg of the robot she was fighting and used her new found metal controlling powers to create a powerful dent that made it fall over. Jinx fired energy bolts that cancelled out any attacks that were aimed at her while dodging so easily she made it look she was doing a ballet. She evaded the lasers easily by spinning and twirling while firing her energy bolts at any blast that she couldn't dodge.

She almost couldn't believe how easy it was as she fired a large arc of purple energy that slammed into both robots she was fighting and shattered them easily. In a mere five minutes all robots were destroyed, leaving Pein and his teammates the only ones standing.

"How was that?" He turned to the coach.

"Perfect as always, Pein." The coach said, writing on his clipboard. "Level Ten and still you make it look so easy."

"All because I had good teachers." Pein said with a smile.

"Yeah right. You're just that good." Jinx muttered with a smirk.

In such a short time Pein along with his closest friends had made their way through the ranks until they were recognized as the new HIVE Elite. He along with Gaia, Kid, and Jinx were seen as the strongest students with See-More catching up. See-More didn't have much skill in fighting but he was the best at technological studies. Jinx was a member of the former HIVE Elite but thanks to some 'secret training' she became a lot stronger.

'To think I've made this far. I never ever made it to Level Ten.' Jinx thought as she remembered what had happened.

Xxx

_Flashback_

_After a week of school the small group of friends almost always got together in one of their rooms for a night of games and movies. Normally Jinx was not one to waste time like that but she was talked into it by Gaia and to be honest she was actually having fun with a group that was actually taking their studies seriously. Pein had quickly risen to HIVE Elite student since he never lost a single spar and was always able to finish the obstacle course in less than ten minutes followed closely by Gaia. Jinx had to work hard to make sure she could keep her spot on the list of possible HIVE Elite. _

_Kid Wykkyd was seen as a possible applicant for HIVE Elite because of his ability to teleport and create shadow portals but he was lacking in physical training even though he was catching up. See-More relied more on his brains than his fighting skills and in a school like the HIVE that placed him at the near bottom. However he was near genius with gadgets and electronics but Gizmo held the title of top student for technology. Jinx walked towards Pein and Kid's room where she knew the others already were waiting for her._

_She swiped her card through the ID computer and looked up as the door opened._

_"Hello?" Jinx peeked her head inside._

_"Hey, Jinx. We've been waiting." Pein smiled as she walked in._

_"Sorry, the baby and his giant boar were bother me again." Jinx smirked._

_Ever since Pein and Gaia had replaced them as the top HIVE Elite Gizmo and Mammoth had been constantly trying to steal back their positions and get revenge on the group. It mostly ended with them getting humiliated because of some crazy incident that left them as the laughing stock of the entire school._

_"They just don't learn and the little brat's supposed to be some kind of super genius." Gaia took off her mask, showing her blue eyes._

_"So what's the plan for tonight?" Jinx asked._

_"Actually, there's something I want to talk you guys about." Pein said, making a serious look. "But not here since I don't want anyone listening in."_

_"But we can't go out after curfew." See-More pointed out._

_"Don't worry. No one will know we've been gone." Pein smiled reassuringly._

_That was when they were all pulled towards his eyes like black hole and everyone except Gaia let out a scream as their bodies were stretched to impossible lengths and vanished into Pein's right eye._

_"I never get tired of using that." Pein smirked before he vanished with them._

_Xxx_

_"WHERE THE HELL ARE WE?!" See-More cried._

_He along with Kid, Jinx, and Gaia stood in a place with a completely black sky with white floating platforms as the ground._

_"We're in a pocket dimension that Pein can send himself or anyone into with his eyes." Gaia explained._

_"A pocket dimension? But that's impossible!" Jinx gasped. "How can he be that powerful?!"_

_"His eyes are special." Gaia simply said."He brought you all here to talk."_

_"Talk? Talk about what?" See-More asked._

_"You're goals."_

_Pein appeared before the same way they had appeared in this dimension._

_"How did you do that?" Jinx asked with wide eyes._

_"It's a special technique that only very few people can use, even with the same eyes as mine. It's called Kamui which literally translates into Authority of the Gods." Pein explained._

_"Okay...why'd you bring us here?" Jinx asked._

_"To talk, about your future and your place here at this school." Pein looked at each of them. "You all are here because the Headmaster offered you a home and a place to learn how to control your powers...but there is much more going on then you know."_

_"What do you mean?" See-More asked._

_"You may not realize it but Brother Blood has more planned than a simple school for outcasts to learn and there is the fact he's been brainwashing you." _

_"Brainwashing?!" See-More and Jinx exclaimed while Kid's eyes went wide._

_"Sorry to tell you this." Pein shrugged._

_"How can you say that? He's the Headmaster of the school that took us all in!" Jinx cried in completel denial._

_"I know and I have a way to prove it." His Rinnegan looked at all three of them, staring them straight in the eye,_

_Suddenly there were overcome with visions of Blood' eyes glowing red as he spoke and the students of the HIVE Academy obeyed without question. They gasped when they saw themselves with their eyes glowing red as they obeyed Blood. Jinx fell to her knees while See-More collapsed but Kid managed to stay standing even though he staggered._

_"Blood...Headmaster...he..." Jinx stuttered._

_"I know, I'm sorry." Pein said remorsefully._

_"But why?" See-More whispered._

_"Because he wants the HIVE Academy to be his own personal army at his beck and call. I don't know what he's planning yet but I know this school is the key. Collecting meta-humans found on the streets, brainwashing them into his students so he can teach them to be killers." Pein explained. "That is the sole reason this place was founded."_

_"He used us..." Jinx whispered. "He lied to me...he lied...and he brainwashed me."_

_Gaia knelt down and hugged Jinx. "It's all right, Jinx. You're okay now."_

_"...Why did you help us?" Jinx looked up at Pein as she softly broke away from Gaia's hug. "Are you with the Titans?"_

_"We're here mostly because we needed a place to stay and to learn about the whole world while having the chance to train but we are not with the Titans. We are with our own group that so far only consists of the two of us...the Akatsuki."_

_End Flashback_

Xxx

Since that day Jinx, See-More, and Kid had unofficially joined the Akatsuki while masquerading as students of the HIVE and Blood still believed they were under his control. They trained with Gaia and Pein or Naruto and Terra which were actually their real names when they were alone and out of sight of Blood's vision. Pein even gave them the same seals he gave Gaia that allowed them to resist Blood's mind control which earned him their complete trust. While working on to better use her powers Pein surmised that Jinx's powers worked by manipulating the objects around her with her energy to deconstruct them at the atomic level rather than bring 'bad luck' to anything in her way.

Pein surmised she could do more than just deconstruct anything her powers touched. Truthfully she wasn't sure if that was possible but after what she had seen she wasn't so quick to dismiss his observations.

"All right, class dismissed!" The coach said as the class ended.

As the class ended Pein felt a pair of eyes on him and glanced behind him to see a young girl with thick black hair, tanned skin, and a white cat like mask with red stripes, wide eyes and grin to cover her face. She wore a short dark green kimono stopping at her knees, black knee high boots, and black skin tight clothing under her kimono.

'She's not like the other students here. She has the aura of a well trained assassin.' Pein thought.

**"Looks like things are finally getting interesting."** Kurama commented.

Xxx

"Man, you guys were on fire!" See-More said as they sat down at their usual table.

"It's just too easy for anyone who has enough experience." Gaia smirked.

"Not to mention every time we ace a course the little baby looks like he's about to wail." Pein smirked as everyone laughed at the insult to Gizmo.

"So how long do we think it'll before we can actually graduate from her?" See-More asked.

"It'll probably be a while since Blood has noticed his attempts to control me and Gaia have not worked but it doesn't look like he noticed you guys."

"Good. I've had enough of anyone poking around in my head." Jinx frowned.

That was when they all heard a crashing sound and looked to see a muscular, dark skinned man change into a golem and smash a nearby table with his fists.

"My name is Stone." He said, glaring at Mammoth.

"Who's he?" Gaia whispered.

"New guy, just got here after my mission with the baby and the ox." Jinx whispered back.

Pein's Rinnegan watched Stone carefully and he smirked as he saw right through the illusions. With a just a few hand signs he activated his **Mind Connection Technique**.

'_You guys can hear me right?_' He asked telepathically earning the attention of his friends.

'_Why are you talking in our heads, Naruto?_' Terra asked, using his real name while they talked telepathically.

"_Because that's actually Cyborg in disguise._"

They all shared a surprised look as they glanced at Stone who was eating alone.

"_Now that you think about they do look alike. How could anyone not see it?_" See-More asked.

"_Don't ask me, I wasn't looking._" Kid shrugged; somewhat happy he could talk like this.

'_What do we do?_' Jinx asked.

'_Well, Lucky,_' Naruto smiled at the small blush Jinx's face. '_If he's here then it means the Titans are finally deciding to find out what Blood is up to. Obviously no one was expecting them to pull off a disguise like this which is impressive._'

'_Those eyes of yours saw right through his disguise didn't they?_' Terra smirked.

'_Not even a challenge. We can use this to start making plans of our own._' Naruto grinned mischievously.

'_We're finally going to mess with the old goat aren't we?_' Jinx's grin matched his own. '_Finally, I was getting tired of putting up with that guy trying to brainwash me._'

'_What do we do?_' See-More asked.

'_For now, nothing. We play along and let Stone thinks he's managed to infiltrate the Academy successfully. Blood's telepathy will no doubt see through him as quickly as I did but having a Titan here will take his eyes off us. We can use that to make preparations of our own._' Naruto instructed. '_It'll take him a little while before he gains everyone's trust._'

'_Maybe we can give him the initiation._' See-More snickered. '_Remember when Gizmo tried to do that you and Gaia?_'

'_Yeah, too bad I found out he never did his own initiation._' Naruto laughed.

Let's just say you don't try to out prank a master prankster unless you have a death wish.

'_In the meantime do you guys know anything about a new girl who might have joined recently? She's the one who wears the cat mask._'

'_I think her name's Cheshire. Bit of a loner and doesn't talk to anyone unless she has to._' See-More answered. '_Why do you ask? Thinking of asking her out?_'

'_She wishes._' Naruto scoffed. '_I noticed her watching me at the end of class today. She's not like the other students. She already has the aura of a well trained assassin around her and could be a spy like Stone and Bee._'

As Naruto and the others continued their classes he noticed that a student named Bumble Bee wasn't affected by Blood's control like the other students were. He noticed that she was resisting only on the strength of her own will and that was impressive. She was obviously a spy if she could resist Blood's mind control since only people with strong wills and the right training could resist the kind of mind control abilities Blood has.

'_If she's watching me than it's possible she's not here to spy on Blood...but to spy on us._' Naruto said, making his friends stiffen.

'_What do we do?_' Jinx asked.

'_Well, for now we go about our business while making sure no one catches on. We help Stone gain everyone's trust by hanging out with him from time to time to better insert himself here. When Blood figures out that there is a Titan here he'll shift his focus from us to him because he'll realize the other Titans won't be far behind._'

'_And when they show up, we make our own move._' Terra caught on.

'_Exactly._'

'_What about cat girl?_' Jinx asked.

'_Leave her to me._' Naruto grinned.

Xxx

The mysterious assassin known as Cheshire watched her target as he interacted with his friends at their table. So far all she knew was that he could manipulate gravity to repel any attack and that he was good at hand to hand combat. The reason she was here in the first place was because Ra's Al Ghul had agreed to Brother Blood's request to have someone pose as a student to watch Pein and his abilities. She hadn't made any chance to speak with him since she didn't want give away her mission.

So far he seemed to act like anyone else outside of class, he was slowly catching up in Technology class, he was knowledgeable in Chemical Class and Stealth Class, and he easily defeated anyone in any spar. She didn't understand why she was here for just one student but she would never question Ra's or risk suffering his wrath. She did know her master did not trust Brother Blood and knew the man had an agenda with this academy. His abilities to mentally brainwash almost anyone made him a dangerous man, especially if he was in a position of power in the HIVE Academy.

If Blood has a special interest in this Pein character than Ra's Al Ghul needed to know why. She returned to the room she had been given for her stay at the Academy, ready to have a nice bath and a nap since it had been a long day. Just as she stepped towards her bathroom she sensed a presence behind her.

"Long day, Neko?"

She spun around and pulled out a Sai, ready to stab whoever had snuck into her room. She stopped when she saw Pein himself standing in the middle of her room, his strange eyes observing her. He glanced around curiously, noticing the toy cat on her bed.

"You seem to have an odd obsession with cats, huh?" He remarked as he looked at her.

Even though she couldn't see his mouth because of his mask she could tell he was amused.

"Why are you here?" Cheshire asked dangerously.

"I was about to ask the same thing. You didn't think I'd notice your eyes on me for the last few days?" Pein retorted.

Cheshire didn't react but she was surprised when he revealed he knew she had been spying on him during classes at lunch. How? She made sure she gave away nothing that would reveal herself.

"I have the ability to sense emotions and I could sense your intent along with the fact that you hide most of your skills...Like me." Pein explained like he knew what she was thinking.

"What do you want?" Cheshire pulled out two Sais.

"Just to know why you're here." Pein simply said. "Can we do that without having to fight? It's been a long day."

"Sorry." Cheshire smirked. "But a cat does not tolerate rodents running around its territory."

"That's too bad...But what happens when the cat runs into something bigger than it."

Cheshire charged forward and aimed her Sais at his heart but he easily blocked her by grabbing her wrist.

"Let's take this somewhere else."

Before Cheshire could figure what he meant they both vanished and Cheshire felt like she was moving so fast she would be shot towards the far end of the universe of itself. It only felt like this for a second before she was able to touch solid ground. She fell over gasping for air, feeling like she was about to throw up. Looking up she noticed she was no longer inside the Academy but in the middle of the forest on the outside of Jump City.

"What do you think?"

She looked up and saw Pein standing a few feet away from her.

"I thought it'd be easier to fight here without anyone finding out. Don't worry. Blood won't know we've been gone. He doesn't even know that I snuck into your room."

"Then he won't know of how I beat you down." Cheshire remarked.

"You're welcome to try, little kitty."

Growling at the nickname Cheshire dashed forward and thrust her Sai at his chest. Pein dodged by simply stepping to the left so easily it looked like he wasn't taking it seriously at all. In fact he probably wasn't as he simply dodged the punches, slashes, and kicks Cheshire launched easily no matter how hard she tried to hit him. He simply ducked, stepped, or spun out of the way of every attack and making it look so easy.

"Damn it! Hold still!" Cheshire growled, losing patience.

"Now why would I do that? You're an assassin yet you're too slow. Assassins are supposed to strike without warning and leave no chance for survival." Pein remarked with an annoying chipper tone in his voice.

Cheshire growled as kept trying to hit him but he simply continued to dodge. "Well then if you're such an expert why don't you make a move?!"

"It's my turn? Okay."

As he moved out of Cheshire's Sais aimed at his face Pein aimed a punch at her face but she easily dodged by moving to the left.

"Is that it? So much for you-"

In that same instant Pein spun, brought his right foot up, sending it straight into Cheshire's abdomen. The assassin of the League of Shadows flew back, letting out a grunt of pain, and landed hard on the ground with a loud thud. Dazed for only before she got back up to her feet as she stared at Pein, understanding that he had completely caught her off guard.

"Is this it, my dear Neko?" Pein asked rhetorically.

Cheshire growled as she held her arms and metal claws sprouted from her wrists.

"Ooooh, kitty shows her claws." Pein remarked with a teasing grin under his mask.

Cheshire growled jumped at him to slice him to bits but like before Pein would easily dodge her slashes by stepping out of the way of every attack. Cheshire was beginning to lose her patience and she had been trained to keep her emotions in check. However there was just something about this guy that pissed her off no matter how hard she tried to keep herself calm. It didn't help the fact that he was playing with her and making those annoying kitty jokes.

"Running low on steam already? I could go get some milk while you have a nap."

"Aw, is the poor kitty getting tired?"

"I could scratch you behind the ears if that helps."

"You want some fish with that milk?"

"You might want to calm down or you might choke on a hairball."

"How about a ball of string? Kitties like to play with those."

"You sound so cute when you hiss."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Cheshire finally lost control as she just swung her claws wildly, trying to shut this annoying bastard up once and for all.

"Uh oh! Kitty's gone cranky without her milk." Pein said as he jumped back.

He pulled out a trench knife and coated it with charka as Cheshire slashed at him again. When his knife made contact with her claws it sliced through them like a knife through butter. Cheshire jumped back before he could try to press his advantage. As she jumped back she felt something crack and her eyes widened as her mask split in two and fell to the ground, showing her shocked face.

She looked Caucasian with grey eyes and an olive skin tone. Her eyes were wide as dinner plates as she looked down at the remains of her mask.

"Aw, kitty lost her claws." Pein said, sounding sad. "But she has such a pretty face."

Cheshire growled, struggling to control her frustration but this man kept pushing her button. It didn't help that he dodged all of her blows, cut her metal claws, and for some odd reason she felt a draft...

Wait a second.

She looked down and to her horror she saw that the sash tied around her waist had somehow been cut, allowing her kimono to fall open and reveal her skin tight black tube top and very short black biker shorts that stuck to her like a second skin and left nothing to the imagination. She gasped as she tried to cover herself with her arms and glared at him with a scary look on her eyes.

"Uh oh, I might have put a little too much into that slash." Pein chucked nervously as he rubbed the back of his head.

'**Yeah, you 'accidently' used too much power in an attempt to disarm her.**' Kurama snorted.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

'**What is it with you and pissing dangerous girls off?**' Kurama asked.

'I wish I knew.'

'**It's not so bad. And you know what they say about angry make up sex. Just make sure her claws are sheathed.**' Kurama laughed.

Naruto would have shouted at Kurama for that but he had bigger problems. Cheshire had abandoned any form of planning and just charged at him, wanting nothing to skewer him until he was nothing but a pile of blood and guts. Unfortunately by this time he was done playing and as she tried to grab his neck to choke the life out of him he disappeared and reappeared behind her. He chopped her on the back of her head and she fell over, her world fading to nothing but black.

Xxx

When the young disciple of Ra's Al Ghul awoke, she was lying on her bed back in her dorm room. Her blankets were drawn up over her, covering her half naked form, and a small note was rested on her stomach. She sat up and slowly unfolded it.

_Dear Cheshire_

_Sorry about the kitty jokes, and the part where I knocked you out. But I think that we might be able to become close friends after this if you're willing to try. For starters: my plans with this school. You can either stay out of the way or even lend a hand. Try to get in my way, and we might have a repeat of tonight._

_PS: I made sure nobody got a look at you._

_Sweet Dreams, My Naughty Neko!_

Cheshire gripped the note in her hands as she remembered what happened to her. That Pein guy had not only discovered why she was here but he beat her in combat and made it look so easy. Not to mention the fact that he humiliated her when he cut her sash and her mask! She didn't know what she should do especially if Pein knew her mission but she remembered her mission. If she went to Ra's Al Ghul or Blood with what she already knew it would only heighten their suspicion that Pein was up to something but she doubted he left any evidence of what happened or leaked any evidence that he was planning anything other than the note.

And if they found out how he easily defeated her she'd be humiliated and most likely punished. She shuddered at the kind of punishment Ra's Al Ghul would inflict on her. But as she thought it over she knew this might be a chance to learn more about Pein and his motives.

'All right Pein. You won this round but the war has just begun.' Cheshire thought.


	5. The Akatsuki Rises

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

Gaia along with Jinx, See-More, and Kid waited in Pein and See-More's room for him to show up. They didn't have to wait long before he appeared right in front of them.

"You're back!" Gaia smiled along with everyone else. "How did it go?"

"Better than I thought actually. I found out she's an assassin for the League of Shadows." Pein replied as he sat on his bed.

"The League of Shadows? I heard of those guys. They're supposed to be this group of dangerous assassins that answer to this very bad dude named Ras Al Ghul." See-More spoke up.

"Ra's Al Ghul, not Ras." Pein corrected. "A guy who's apparently lived for centuries and has crossed paths with Batman."

"Why is an assassin here?" Jinx asked.

"Me. Blood knew he hasn't been able to control me and he suspects I'm hiding something. He hired Ra's to send in someone young enough to enter the Academy but skilled enough to observe me without giving themselves away and our little kitty was the one he sent." Pein explained.

"So what did you do?" Gaia asked.

"Nothing. I simply asked her and she answered." Pein said with his eyes curving up to show he was smiling but no one believed him.

"So now what?" See-More asked.

"Well, we wait and see what happens. While Stone is continuing his mission we act like nothing happen and wait until either the Titans or Blood make their move." Pein held out four special kunai and handed them to his friends. "Keep this with you at all times and if there is trouble throw it onto the ground."

"Why do you think there's going to be trouble?" Jinx asked.

"Cheshire won't do anything yet. Her pride won't allow her to make a report until she has got...payback. We had a little spar and she lost." Pein explained simply. "Until she's sure she's got me she won't do anything."

'Keeping her quiet by wounding her pride.' Kid spoke through his hand language. 'Nice.'

"You got it." Pein nodded.

Xxx

As time passed Stone became more and more at home at the HIVE Academy, he even went to the HIVE Academy Dance with Jinx who decided to play along and help him with his mission. He was an okay person for them to hang out with since he liked to piss Gizmo off. The signs were subtle but Pein noticed that Blood's attention was shifting to Stone while Cheshire was glaring darkly at him whenever they were in the same class. He knew she was waiting to the chance to fight him again and would take any chance she had.

From the look on Stone's face he could tell something was going to happen soon. Perhaps it was time for him to act as well. He gave instructions to Jinx, Kid, and See-More to pack their things and be ready to leave as quickly as possible while he and Gaia prepared a little surprise of their own. It was the end of the day and almost everyone was back in their dorms but he knew that something was happening.

He could sense four new signatures entering the Academy and instantly knew that it was happening. He entered the gym class to do a little exercise, lifting weights and do a little jogging. After five minutes he stood up, wearing only his black pants and a black sleeveless short along with his mask.

"You can come out now. There's no point in hiding my little neko." He said.

Cheshire appeared out of the shadows and stepped a few feet into the light.

"Well, aren't we the naughty little spy? Did you come here just take a peek at me?" Pein asked with a teasing smirk.

Cheshire didn't answer him but he could tell she was glaring at him through her new mask.

"Oh, you're still mad about that huh?" Pein tilted his head. "Is that why you're here?"

"Yes." Cheshire held out her claws. "Blood has given me the order to capture you and leave you incapacitated for him to examine."

"Really now? And you think you can handle me after what happened last time?" Pein asked as Cheshire settled into a battle stance.

"You caught me by surprise but this time I'm not letting you surprise me this time." Cheshire retorted.

"Be careful, little kitty. There is such a thing as too much pride." Pein remarked. "Besides I mentioned in my note that if you got in my way there would be a repeat of what happened last time."

"Not this time." Cheshire remarked.

"Sorry, little kitty but I can't play today. Maybe next time." That was Pein's stranged ringed eyes turned red with a strange symbol.

As Cheshire charged towards him she felt the air distort around her before she was pulled forward towards his right eye. She let out a scream before she vanished completely.

"We'll have a chance to speak again." Pein said before he made a sign and activated his **Mind Connect** **Jutsu**.

'_Everyone, it's time. Kid, See-More, you guys evacuate the Academy and stay underground to monitor the HIVE's movements. _'

'_Right._' Both See-More and Kid replied.

'_Jinx, where are you?_'

'_Blood's got me and the two stooges ready. I think he's hypnotized Stone and he's luring the Titans into a trap._' Jinx replied.

'_All right. Just play along while I do a little last minute checking. Blood's finally let his guard down and we're taking his school out from the inside._'

'_Right._' Jinx mentally grinned.

Xxx

Pein appeared in Brother Blood's office, materializing out of thin air.

"Hehe, that technique really comes in handy." He chuckled.

He had marked his test with the same seal for the Hirashin technique so he could instantly infiltrate Blood's office whenever he could. Looking around he saw that Blood was out just as he predicted. He had spent the last week monitoring Blood's movements, seeing when it would be a good chance to infiltrate his office. There were various notes and books scattered across the desk with the computer left on. He sat at Blood's desk and looked at the screen.

Good thing he had help on learning how a computer worked from See-More so he could find the information he was looking for. He pulled out a disk and inserted it into the computer. After a moment all sensitive information on the computer was open. He knew how to access Blood's hidden files and see what he was up to.

'Just as I thought. The bastard's gathering an army.' He thought with a growl.

The computer showed data on the movements of Blood's group. Several bases with one here in Jump City and their attempts to summon or create weapons for Blood so he could expand his influence. Blood also kept tabs on criminal organizations like the League of Shadows run by Ra's Al Ghul, the Joker, Lex Luthor, and several more crime syndicates. He was also monitoring the Justice League, the Titans, and several other super hero groups that might cause him trouble in the future.

He read over the logs as he find out Blood had used his mind control powers to take over several government groups that was in charge of monitoring super heroes and looking for ways to counter them. He opened several files that caught his attention.

FILE ONE: SEVEN DEADLY SINS

FILE TWO: GHOST GIRL

FILE THREE: PROJECT BLACKLIGHT

The list went on detailing other projects or individuals with powers that could benefit Blood's plans. Pain suppressed the urge let how a howl of rage and smash the computer. That bastard has toyed and experimented with lives and cared nothing for the suffering it has caused.

'Enjoy the time you have left you bastard, cause it's about to end.'

Xxx

Everything went just as Pein predicted. The Titans had infiltrated the HIVE and were now battling the top students which were Gizmo, Jinx, and Mammoth. They watched the fight and how Blood was using his power to turn Cyborg into an ally and had him take out the robotic copy. While this was happening Naruto had discreetly sent out shadow clones to place explosives all around HIVE Academy.

As they fought Naruto senses demonic energy coming from the Titan known as Raven.

**"Sage, that girl's chakra is demonic in nature. I suspect she is a half demon."**Kurama spoke up.

'Half demon?'

**"Yes and I sense that her demon parent was powerful, perhaps almost on par with me when I was still the Nine Tails."**

Xxx

Terra looked up from the book she was reading when the door to her room opened. Pein walked in, no longer wearing his mask.

"The Titans showed up, Blood plans to use Cyborg to take them out."

"Is it happening?" Terra asked as she stood up.

"Yep. And I think it's time we show ourselves." Pein stood up and held something in front of her. "Here's something for you."

Terra looked down as he held out a cloak much like the one he was now wearing. A long black cloak with white outlined red clouds, a chin high collar, and red interior. She had been told that the organization known as Akatsuki wore them back in Naruto's world. She nodded as she took the cloak and put it on.

"Time to start." Pein put a hand on Terra's shoulder.

Meanwhile Cyborg had aimed his cannon at the other Titans who were pleading with him when two figures appeared in a whirlwind behind him and in front of Blood and the other HIVE members.

"Terra...!" Beast Boy said in shock when he saw his former blond haired lover.

She looked completely different from before, almost as tall as Starfire, a single butterfly clip keeping her long blond hair from falling on her face, and the Akatsuki cloak unbuttoned at the top to reveal her face. Terra glanced over her shoulder to see the Titans who all noticed how different she looked from the last time she saw. Terra still felt guilty for her betrayal but glad they were still alive.

"What is this?" Blood asked as Pein turned and faced him.

"Pein?" Jinx asked when he turned to face her noticing he was not wearing his mask anymore that showed his face and eyes.

"Just us dropping out of school, _headmaster_." Pein smirked at the glare Blood had sent him.

"I knew those snots couldn't be trusted!" Gizmo shouted.

Jinx played her part as she looked saddened that her friends had betrayed the HIVE while Gizmo extended his legs to attack them.

"Cyborg, blast them!" Blood said.

Cyborg turned his cannon at them but Pein held up one hand and the sonic blast was repelled back by an invisible force and knocked him into the other Titans.

"Just to warn you guys, you're in the big leagues now." Pein said as he and Gaia got ready to fight.

"You have made a foolish mistake." Blood growled at him.

"Terra, what are you doing here?" Beast Boy shouted at the blond haired girl who remained silent. "I thought you were with Slade."

Gaia turned and looked at him. "I was, now I'm with this guy." Her hands glowed yellow. "And we can't let you get in the way."

Without moving her hands pillars of earth shot out of the ground between the Titans, scattering them around the room. Pein turned and faced Blood while the three HIVE students got in front of him.

"I knew he was just another goody- goody- hero wannabee!" Gizmo growled but was happy to finally be able to get rid of him.

"Actually it's the other way around, brat." Gaia smirked.

Her hands glowed and Gizmo's backpack was ripped off his back and crushed. He screamed as he fell out of the air but Gaia grabbed him by the back of his shirt.

"Here's for trying to grope me!" Gaia punched him in the face so hard he was sent flying into Mammoth's chest.

Pein faced Brother Blood. "Sorry, pal, you're weak mind control powers have no effect on me."

"So, you were pretending." Blood growled. "Still, you're a foolish child to challenge me."

"Actually, I was thinking of saying the same thing to you, since you're dead." Pein smirked.

Blood growled as he took off his robe and charged at Pein but Pein was counting on it.

**"Shinra Tensei!" **Pein raised his hand and Blood was blasted back into the wall.

Blood hit the wall hard, leaving an imprint of himself on it as he slid down.

"As if someone like you could control me." Pein glared at the HIVE students with his Rinnegan eyes that scared them.

Blood staggered to his feet and called a floating platform to him. "You'll pay for this."

"No, I don't think I will." Pein held out his hand. **"Bansho Ten'in!"**

Blood was suddenly pulled towards Pein by a powerful force, almost like it was a magnet. He suspected Pein had some sort of telekinetic powers but this was beyond any form of telekinesis he had ever seen before! He struggled to regain himself but the force was too strong and fast. He tried to attack Pein as he came into range but Pein was ready as he produced a rod like spear from the sleeve of his cloak and before Blood could react it slashed through his right arm.

The Titans and the HIVE students gasped as Blood let out a scream as he fell to the ground, cradling the bloody stump that used to be his arm. Gaia had watched with a calm look, watching as Pein did it with almost no effort what so ever. She had come to terms that some people might die, specifically people who needed to be put down so they wouldn't harm anyone ever again. She had seen what Blood had done and to be honest with herself she wouldn't mourn what happened to him anytime soon.

"You...you..." Blood looked up, his bright red eyes blazing with rage.

"Brother Blood, since the start you have tried to control and influence me. However before these eyes you are nothing but a lowly rat trying to make yourself look big." Pein remarked.

"You'll pay for this." Blood stepped back onto the floating platform behind him with the HIVE students waiting.

'Good luck, Pein.' Jinx thought as the platform floated out of the room, remembering the plan.

Xxx

_"You want us to spy_ _on Blood?" See-More fell off his seat, making everyone laugh. "Are you crazy?"_

_"Cough! Trick question! Cough!" Terra said under her breath._

_Naruto heard her and sent a mock glare at her, making her giggle._

_"Why do you want us to spy on Blood? Why not take him out and be done with it?" Jinx asked._

_They were all gathered in Terra and Jinx's room, preparing for the final part of Naruto's plan._

_"Because killing Blood will not end the HIVE Academy since he was not the one who created it. From the start this school has been a front for a more dangerous operation, with Blood as the latest power hungry mad man to take over. Killing him would simply mean that the ones in power will have to just to send another to take his place."_

_'If Blood's not in charge than who is?' Kid asked._

_"A good question and I'd like to try and find out by getting into his office and look at his files. The problem is that I'm not expert on computers and Blood's probably got some of that fire wall stuff to keep any intruder from looking at his personal information." Naruto sighed._

_"Here." See-More pulled out a disk. "Something I whipped up."_

_"What will a simple disk do?" Terra asked._

_"I modified it with a special hacking program that will open any sensitive information it can find. I may not be Gizmo but I know how to make a bad ass upgrade." See-More smiled. "Hopefull it will work."_

_"Thanks. In the meantime we need to keep on gathering information on who might be pulling Blood's strings but also we agitate him a little." Naruto grinned._

_"Talking my language." Jinx grinned back._

_"That's my Lucky Charm!" Naruto chuckled._

_Jinx blushed while everyone else snickered from how easily Naruto could make the tough lady of bad luck blush so easily._

_"While you guys spy on Blood Terra and I will run amok of Blood and the HIVE's plans, agitating them and forcing them to put a halt to their plans to try and salvage what they have left. Knowing Blood like I am sure I do he'll become more desperate."_

_"Why not simply use your eyes to hypnotize him instead? It sounds easier." Terra pointed out._

_"I could but there is no guarantee that no one will notice the signs. Blood has the powerful ability to mentally influence people and anyone pulling his strings might be able to recognize any signs of him being influenced and I have not much experience with my eyes using that type of Genjutsu. No way you would have a power hungry lunatic working for you unless you had a way to protect yourself." Naruto replied. "It might be me being paranoid but this is a good way to practice stealth and how to mask yourself and your intentions."_

_"So we wait until Blood's boss shows up and then we shut the whole thing down." Jinx outlined the plan._

_"Exactly." Naruto nodded._

Xxx

"Who are you?" Robin demanded as he pulled out his bo-staff. "You and Terra are coming with us to the authorities!"

"Sorry, but I'm afraid we'll have to decline that offer." Pein turned and faced them.

The Titans got into fighting stances while Pein gestured for Gaia to step back and she did so without question. He then turned to the Titans and dashed towards them with amazing speed.

"Titans go!" Robin threw a bird-a-rang.

Cyborg aimed his sonic cannon and fired; Starfire and Raven fired a stream of starbolts and dark energy while Beast Boy turned into a rhino and charged at him.

Pein smirked as he continued to run straight to their attacks but just as they were mere inches away he whispered two words. **"Shinra Tensei!"**

The Titans were caught completely off guard as all of their attacks were repelled by an invisible force that sent their attacks back at them. Beast Boy was sent flying across the room, Cyborg's sonic attack slammed into his cannon damaging his arm which caused him to scream, Starfire and Raven were hit by their own attacks and knocked out of the air, and Robin was hit in the stomach by his own bird-a-rang which knocked the wind out of him. Seeing the Titans all on the ground from their own attack Pein scoffed and walked back to Gaia.

"Just to let you know, that if I wanted to kill you guys you'd never see it coming." Pein said as he put a hand on Gaia's shoulder and made a hand sign. "You might want to get out of here."

That was when explosions were heard all around the academy, prompting everyone to escape. Pein and Gaia disappeared into what looked like a black hole in Pein's eyes leaving the Titans and the HIVE students to run as the chamber started to collapse.

Xxx

Robin was still frustrated with his loss at the new villain named simply Pein and Terra. Then there was the fact that Terra had joined him and seemed to have abandoned Slade which may explain why she disappeared before they returned and why there's been no sign of Slade.

"Dude! Who the hell was that guy? He kicked our butts and blew up the HIVE base in one go!" Beast Boy shouted still shocked at their defeat and how quick it had been.

"Don't know much about them man. All I know is that his name is Pein which is Japanese for Pain. He has these weird powers and he's the real deal. Listen Robin, I think he knew I was Stone before Blood even knew." Cyborg informed his teammates.

Robin nodded and said, "We need to be ready for when we meet him again."

The car stopped at Titans Tower and they headed for the door. Robin then noticed two masks at the front door. The masks belonged to Terra and Pein when they had been disguised as HIVE students.

Robin then got frustrated and thought, 'They got near the Tower and could have done anything to us without us even knowing it if we were in the Tower!'

Robin then picked the masks and headed to their trophy room to set up the new addition. It would also be a constant reminder to him of a new threat.

Xxx

Naruto and Terra had returned to the underground base that he had made as their temporary headquarters until they decided what they would do next. Along with the underground base they had stolen almost everything that Blood had the HIVE steal and used to provide furniture, television, a refrigerator for the kitchen, beds, and everything they'd need to live in the base. In the training room Terra had continued her training on her stamina and endurance. It had nearly been a month and a half and she had come a long way thanks to the fact she endured training with the Titans and Slade before meeting Naruto.

Right now she was working on her control by sitting on a rock that was floating in the air with numerous rocks floating around her as she continued to control her chakra and powers.

"You're doing well, Terra." Naruto commented as he appeared in front of her.

She didn't react as she had grown used to it already. She smiled as she got off her perch and stood up.

"It's all thanks to you." Terra replied as she wiped some sweat from her forehead. "So what now? Can I take a break? I'd like to get all this sweat off me."

"That's fine, Terra. You look like you need a good rest anyway." Naruto nodded as she sat down and handed her a bottle of water.

"So, when do you think we should go looking for more members?" Terra asked.

"I know of several places that I can look that have some potential members. Blood kept details in his office so I know where to start. But we also need to work on finding money to sustain ourselves." Naruto replied. "We can't exactly run a group which will most likely be traveling all over the world without some source of income, especially for our current home."

"I guess you're right about that." Terra nodded. "But what's the real goal behind this group? You can't just be doing this because you don't like how the Titans and the Justice League handle criminals."

"There is that and the fact that they are oblivious to what the government has done behind their backs." Naruto replied resulting in a confused look from Terra. "The fact that so many meta-humans have shown themselves it makes ordinary people nervous, they are afraid of what could happen if the Titans or more specifically the Justice League decided to go rogue. It's because of that the government in several countries and nations have approved of several projects that are centered on turning any meta-human they get their hands on into a weapon."

"They are actually doing that?" Terra asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, it doesn't matter how old or young the meta-human is, only just how strong they could become. Blood has kept notes on several meta-humans being held captive right now. While ordinary people would say it's wrong the government is more concerned about a possible threat, considering how powerful the League and the other super hero groups are." Naruto explained. "They want a weapon on their side to defend them."

"And you're...going to free them?" Terra asked.

"Yes, not only do I plan on creating my own group that deals with criminals our way instead of the League's and I'm also planning on showing people the truth of what their government has done. While the people want protection I doubt they would condone experimenting on children." Naruto scowled. "Training children into weapons to defend your country is not an excuse, it robs them of a childhood, the chance to have friends and to live the way they want to live. Even the Justice League places faith that their own governments would never do such a thing but they don't even realize that the government's also creating weapons to fight them. I am going to save them from a life of servitude and all them the chance to have a life."

"All right!" Terra got up. "Can we get some pizza first?"

"Sure, you've been asking me to try it all week." Naruto replied as they walked out.


	6. The Jealous Shapeshifter and Ghost Girl

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

Robin took another sip of his coffee as he looked at the computer screen. It had been a week since their battle with their new enigmatic enemies Pein and Terra. He had considered asking the Justice League if they had encountered him before but he and Batman were not on speaking terms and if he contacted the League Batman would become involved.

**Villain Name: Pein **

**Hair: Orange **

**Eye Color- Greyish purple, including sclera with six rings surrounding the pupil **

**Age: Assumed Eighteen**

**Abilities: Limited super strength, and possibly telekinetic**

**Assumed Threat Level: C-high B rank **

**Villain Name: Terra**

**Hair: Blond**

**Eye Color: Blue**

**Abilities: Powerful Geokinetic abilities**

**Assumed Threat Level: C-mid B rank**

"What are you doing friend Robin?" Starfire asks as she looks over Robin's shoulder.

"Updating the villain profiles. Everyone should know about them." Robin replied as he submitted them.

"That guy seemed to know what he was doing. Do you think someone trained him how to fight?" Raven asks from the couch.

"No, otherwise there would be records on them." Robin says.

"But how did Terra end up working with them? First she's with us, then Slade, and now this guy!" Beast Boy grunted as he still felt hurt from Terra's betrayal.

"I don't know but it may answer why she and Slade vanished. Maybe they're working with these guys now." Robin turned to face them. "We need to gather more information before we try to go after them."

"You saw the cloaks they wore?" Raven asked. "It looks like they've formed some sort of group. And given how they fought us it's obvious they're stronger than anything the HIVE could have produced."

"Then why were they there?" Starfire asked.

"Maybe the same reason I was. Collecting information." Cyborg replied.

"Right, we need to figure out what they're planning and fast." Robin said.

Xxx

"Enjoying your stay, Neko?"

Cheshire had no idea how she got here. One second she was about to fight Pein in a long desired rematch when suddenly she found herself in some kind of weird dimension with no way back. She had been sitting on one of the white blocks when she heard a familiar voice a few feet away. She watched as Pein appeared before her, now wearing a black cloak with a chin high collar and decorated with red clouds.

"Where am I? What have you done?" Cheshire demanded.

"Calm down, kitty. My eyes have the ability to remove anything I see from our plane existence and bring them here, a pocket dimension created by me." Pein calmly explained.

"Impossible! I've never heard of anyone having _that_ kind of power!" Cheshire gasped, her emotional control beginning to slip again.

"And yet here we are. I can come and go as I please and I can leave you here if I want but fortunately I am not that heartless. I am willing to bring you back but before I do that I have some conditions." Pein held up one finger.

"And what makes you think I will do as you ask?" Cheshire asked.

"One: I am your only way out of here and saving you from dying of starvation here. Two: You have no way to force me to take you back. And three: No one would be able to find you even if they knew what happened to you. HIVE Academy has been destroyed, its students free and in hiding with the former Headmaster now on the run." Pein explained. "You have no reason to spy on me anymore on Blood's behalf or the behalf of your master so your mission is over. The only thing left for you is to cooperate or I can just leave you here."

Cheshire didn't want to admit it but she knew he was right and they both knew it. Unless she did something she'd be stuck here.

"What do you want?" Cheshire finally asked.

"What I want is know what your purpose is."

"Huh?"

"What is your purpose? Why do you work for the League of Shadows?" Pein asked.

"...I was recruited when I was very young. I ran away from home because of my family and Ra's took me on, trained me, and gave me a home." Cheshire explained, giving away only a brief summary of her life.

"Really? So you have no drive to become stronger? No determination to become more than what you are?" Pein walked around her.

"What are you getting at?" Cheshire asked.

"I asked you first." Pein retorted.

"I am a loyal assassin to Ra's Al Ghul. I'd never consider betraying him if that's what you're looking for." Cheshire crossed her arms.

"I'm not asking you to betray him. I haven't even made any attempts to ask you to betray your comrades and I never will." Pein stopped in front of her.

"So what do you want?"

"What do I want? Well, the first thing that comes to the top of my mind is world peace and the second would be a life time supply of Ramen." Pein said with a thoughtful look as he scratched his head.

"...Stop screwing with me!" Cheshire growled.

"What do you mean? I answered your questions." Pein said honestly.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Well, I have more than a few names. The recent one I have chosen is Pein to honor my relative and the fact that it's name I have chosen to lead the new group I have formed."

"New group? Are you here to recruit me?" Cheshire narrowed her eyes behind her mask.

"Maybe, depending on things go." Pein said simply.

"And I told you I will never betray Ra's Al Ghul!" Cheshire leapt forward.

Big mistake.

When she tried to claw Pein's eyes face off he side stepped her attack and touched her shoulder as she ran past him. The finger emitted a single burst of light and Cheshire fell flat on her face. She tried to get up but she found it difficult to move.

"Wh-what?" Cheshire whispered as she tried move. "What did you do?"

"You like to ask a lot of questions don't you?" Pein remarked. "All I was disrupt the connection of your nervous system to your brain, making it impossible for you to move. But you don't have to worry, it's temporary. You'll eventually regain control of your limbs but I think the message is clear. Now do you want to hear my proposal?"

"What proposal?" Cheshire asked when she stopped moving.

"Well for starters, I'd offer you a life where you don't have to carry out the bidding of a man like Ra's Al Ghul who has no qualms of sending his warriors to die on his whims. Do you plan to serve him till the day you die? Do you have nothing else to live for?"

"Why do you care?" Cheshire looked straight up at him.

"Because I see you have what it takes to be a very powerful fighter. You're not like the bastards at the HIVE or the brats they were teaching; you're not like the heroes who put on a mask and act all idealistic about protecting the innocent and throwing the guilty in jail to solve the problem. You're not afraid to get your hands dirty when you have to and it's what I'm looking for." Pein explained and she could see in his eyes he wasn't lying.

"You say that...you're not like the Titans or the Justice League. What kind of group are you forming?" Cheshire whispered.

"Hopefully the group that brings peace to this world but it will be long and hard, even if I find a lot of fighters with the strength and determination I'm looking for but I found a few. In return for helping me I will help them have a new life and walk a new path, one that I hope will bring forth a better future." Pein said with conviction in his voice.

The way he spoke made Cheshire think of Ra's Al Ghul but at the same time he was completely different.

"To be honest I didn't think I'd find anyone like that in the HIVE Academy but I was surprised to find more than a few and now I make the same offer to you. However you don't have to make the decision now."

He produced a kunai with the Hirashin symbol as he knelt down and placed his finger on her back. The finger emitted a single pulse of light and Cheshire gasped before feeling she had control of her body again. She looked up as Pein held the kunai out for her.

"What is this?" Cheshire asked, not moving yet.

"A souvenir to remember me and something you can use to contact me. Simply throw it on the ground and I will appear. This is meant to be used in case you say yes to my proposal which is as I said will lead you down the path of becoming more powerful than you are, perhaps strong enough to take on the Justice League or if you just want to talk." Pein placed the kunai on the ground before he stood up. "But in exchange for letting you leave I want one thing."

"What is that?" Cheshire managed to sit up.

"Your name."

"What?"

"Is it hard to hear in here?" Pein tilted his head. "Do you have a hearing problem? That's odd because last I checked cats had better hearing than humans."

"I know what you said!" Cheshire snapped. "But why do you want to know my name?"

"I just do. Don't worry; I'm not planning on telling the Titans or Batman. In exchange for that I will release you back into the real world and I won't stop you from telling Ra's Al Ghul about me." Pein reassured her. "So what do you say?"

...

...

...

"Jade...Jade Nguyen." She finally said.

"There you go. Was that so hard? And it's such a pretty name too." Pein smirked.

Cheshire was glad she was wearing the mask because she thought she might blush from his flirting with her.

She settled for glaring at him through her mask. "I believe we had a deal."

"Very well. Well time to go."

With that they both vanished from the pocket dimension. When Cheshire opened her eyes again she found herself standing on a cliff overlooking Jump City as the sun began to rise.

"Looks like we made in time to catch this beautiful sight." Pein said with a smile. "You ever take the chance to enjoy small moments like this?"

Cheshire glanced at him for a moment, wondering how he could look so relaxed around a potential enemy but she realized he was perhaps ready the moment she even thought of striking. She considered answering before deciding to take her leave.

"Safe Journey, Neko." Pein called out to her.

She briefly stopped and turned back but when she looked back she saw he was gone. Completely vanished without a trace or any sign of how he left. She stared at where he had been, considering what he had said before and the offer he made. As she thought it over she wondered what would do with her life.

Would she spend the rest of her life serving Ra's and the League of Shadows or would she want something more? She looked down at the kunai he had given her, wondering it was supposed to do and what he meant when it said throwing it would make him appear.

'Just who the hell is this guy?'

Xxx

**2 Days Later**

Pein and Gaia arrived at the entrance to a secret facility wearing their Akatsuki cloaks. Pein held out his hand at the large doors and said. **"Shinra Tensei!"**

The doors were blasted forward, flying through the air and into the wall at the other end of the hall. Guards ran out and tried to shoot them but Gaia used her powers to make walls made of earth sprout out and block the shots. She then broke the walls into floating rocks and sent them flying at the guards, knocking them out.

"Good job." Pein smiled as they walked down the hall.

"Thanks." Gaia smiled back. "So, who are we after?"

"Well, from Blood said in his logs the people we're looking for are in a sealed room." Pein stopped in front of a knocked out guard and placed his hand on his head.

He closed his eyes as images of the base appeared in his mind. A second later he opened his eyes and stood up. "It's this way."

They came upon an elevator and got in. Pein pushed the button for the basement and the elevator went down. Once the elevator door opened more guards were waiting for them with their rifles ready. They fired and shot them multiple times and they fell over.

"Got em." The lead guard smiled but it vanished when Terra and Pein vanished in puff of smokes and revealed crates with holes in them. "What the-"

"Not very nice." Pein said behind them.

They tried to turn and shoot him again but a blast of wind flung them into the walls and knocked them out.

"I still can't get over how handy that technique is." Gaia commented as they continued walking.

They came upon a door that Pein kicked open and revealed a large and spacious office.

"Blood spent his time here when his men were working with the captives they had brought here." Pain walked over to the desk. "They should be right...here." He opened the bottom drawer.

"What the? Who the hell are you?!" A tiny voice shouted from inside the drawer which made Terra run over to see who was speaking.

Pein lifted up a glass jar with a small, ugly, eight legged, green skinned creature with large purple eyes.

"What the hell is that?" Gaia pointed at the creature.

"I got an idea of who it might be. By any chance would your name be Envy?" Pein asked making the creature look at him.

"How do you know who I am?" The creature growled.

"Blood had some files that mentioned something called Homunculi and your name was mentioned." Pein replied as he put the glass jar on the desk. "It also said something about three stones that were the souls for three others named Lust, Sloth, and Wrath."

"Yeah, the stones are in there." Envy pointed to the drawer where Pain had found him.

"Uh, I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what the hell is going on." Gaia raised her voice as Pein brought up four vials that were corked and had labels naming the other three sins.

"Well, apparently Envy and these guys," Pein held up the vials. "Are what Blood called Homunculi and he tried to make them into his servants. They used some ancient art called Alchemy to summon these Homunculi by sacrificing a large number of their own people because they believed they could make them immortal."

"Yeah, that stupid human was looking for immortality but I told him that no human could handle the stones so he locked us up." Envy spoke up.

Envy had been stuck in this jar for who knows how long. The last thing he remembered was being burned alive by that flame bastard Mustang, reduced him to his despised parasite form, Edward revealing his deepest and most humiliating secret and finally killing himself to end the pain. He didn't know what he should have expected when he died but next thing he knew he was in some kind of laboratory with a bunch of humans, strange flashing contraptions, and a lot of noise that gave him a headache as he first opened his eyes. He was disorientated for a moment before some old human walked forward and greeted him.

The human claimed he had managed to somehow bring him back with Lust, Sloth, and Wrath. The downside was that Envy had been brought back in his parasite form while the only the Philosopher's Stone that acted the core for the others had been brought back. They wanted to use him and the others as weapons but there was no way he would ever lower himself to be used as a puppet for humans, even ones who had somehow managed to bring him back from death. He flat out told the human that it was impossible for the stones or him to give them immortality or the powers of the Homunculi.

Seeing him as a failed project they put him in this glass jar and left him and the others in the dark to rot. He was contemplating killing himself again until these two found him. They looked different and didn't seem associated with the old bastard who locked him up meaning he had a chance to break free.

"So what do you want?"

"Me and my friend here are looking for people to join up with our group. I figured I'd find some people willing to join from Blood's files but you're not exactly what I was hoping for." Pein replied making Envy growl.

"Oh yeah? Well why I want to join with you, human?" Envy shouted.

"He could leave you back in the drawer." Gaia pointed out which made Envy's anger drop.

"...If I wanted to join you guys what's in it for me?" Envy asked. "What's this group?"

"It's called the Akatsuki meaning 'daybreak'." Pein replied. "As for what we're planning on doing I'll save that for later since we can't exactly trust you yet. We're looking for members who will join up with us willingly, becoming comrades to us."

"And if I said no what would you do?" Envy asked.

"Nothing." Pein replied which made Envy raise one 'eyebrow'.

"Nothing?"

"I'm not here to force anyone to join us." Pein explained. "Besides, in your current state I don't see how you can help us."

"My stone has no power so I can't break free thanks to those stupid humans." Envy growled. "If I could get my hands on them I'd get my powers and my body back!"

"Stone?" Gaia asked, making Envy shake his head and mutter 'stupid humans'.

"We Homunculi have a Philosopher's Stone as our core that gives us the ability to regenerate our wounds no matter how bad it is but without any souls powering my stone I'm helpless." Envy explained reluctantly.

"Blood's mentioned you tried to absorb their souls. Is that what you mean?" Pein asked.

"Yeah, our stones are made from human souls which they sacrificed to power the stones for the others but they kept me in the jar when they brought me back." Envy replied. "Without any souls for my stone I'm stuck like this."

Pein narrowed his eyes as he didn't like the idea of feeding anyone to this creature. "Is there any other way for you to regain your powers?"

"No. Our stones need souls to power them." Envy sat on his tail. "All I can do is take over someone's body and absorb it to regain my powers but even then I'd need a dozen humans to be strong enough to recreate my body."

**"Naruto, I know of a technique to restore this homunculus to his true form without the need for human souls." **Kurama spoke in Pein's mind. **"The same technique your predecessor used to create the nine tailed beast from the original Jubi's chakra."**

"Say, if I offer to join would you help me?"

"That depends, what would you want to do?" Pein asked.

"I can shape shift myself to take on anyone's forms meaning I'd be a good spy and assassin when you need it." Envy replied. "Tell you what, you help me and I help you, equivalent exchange right?"

"And how do I help you?" Pein picked up the jar. "What about the others?"

"They need a human host to carry their stones but none of that idiot human's followers were strong enough to contain them." Envy looked at the other stones. "Besides, those bastards were going to cause lots of harm for some kind of world domination crap. Do you believe they should be allowed to live cause more suffering?"

"...fine." Pein sighed. "I'll help you but if you ever think of double crossing us."

Pein let Envy figure it out when he released his killer intent that made both Envy and Terra start to sweat and gasp for air.

'This guy...I haven't felt such power since Father!' Envy thought as he realized he should try and avoid getting on this guy's bad side.

Envy was many things but he wasn't stupid. He knew this guy was no ordinary human and was more powerful then the Fullmetal pipsqueak or Mustang. Hell, he could probably give Father and Hohenhiem a run for their money.

"Now then, I have an idea how to restore you without using human souls." Pein opened the glass jar and put it on its side allowing Envy to come out.

"And what's that?" Envy asked once he was out.

"A power you have never seen before." Pein put his finger on Envy's head and the small legged creature's eyes went blank.

Pein's Rinnegen eyes changed as a gold aura surrounded him with nine comma shaped marks moving around the pupils of his eyes like planets. Gaia stepped back, watching in awe as Pein started making hand signs too fast for her to follow. When he finished he held out his hands as they somehow lit themselves on fire. In the palm of the left blazed red fire while in the right hand blazed flue fire.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Envy slithered back in fear.

"This is the final stage of the Rinnegan, with it I am able to create shape and form from nothing, completely erase anything from existence, or transform anyone or anything into whatever I choose." Pein explained. **"Yin-Yang Release: Creation Of All Things!"**

He joined the flames together, watching as the flames turned black and flew up into the air, forming a white outline resembling a human body. Envy gulped as he slithered back but Pein held out his right hand and Envy found himself lifted up in the air.

"He-Hey! What are you doing?!" Envy screamed.

"I just created a complete replica of a human body using my Creation of All Things technique and now the final piece." Pein replied.

Envy struggled as he was brought towards the body and he was seemingly absorbed into it. He didn't know what was happening but all he knew was that he felt like he was expanding to encompass the thing that he had been absorbed into. He could feel all sorts of sensations that felt like a human body, the beating of the heart, the blood pumping in the body's veins but no sign of the human soul that came with the bodies he had possessed before. He remembered the sensation of possessing a human from before but this was completely different!

The white body he was absorbed into rippled and exploded in a blast of white light leaving nothing but rising smoke from what used to be the main office desk.

"Did you..."

"No. He's alive...and reborn." Pein pointed to a figure coming out of the smoke.

Terra heard a groan as the figure came out of the smoke coughing and gasped. Standing before them was a young odd looking young man with long spiky dark green hair that fanned out like a palm tree and violet cat like eyes. He wore what looked like black socks without the toes and heels being covered with very short black biker shorts covered by what looked like a cross between a skirt and loincloth. He wore a black tight sleeveless shirt that only partially covered his chest and went up to his neck half way showing of his abdomen.

He wore black fingerless gloves and his forehead was covered by a headband with red triangular markings. On his left thigh was a tattoo of what looked like a snake devouring its own tail. Envy stared down at himself in shock; he was back in his favourite form! The form he had chosen for himself, the one form that he felt was his true appearance, not the parasite body that was his true form.

The strange part was that he felt different from before.

He didn't feel his true form that was supposed to be suppressed inside his human form; his body was lighter than what he remembered. He couldn't feel the huge mass he compressed when he was in his human form but felt something pulsing through his body much like the souls of his Philosopher's Stone. There was something else missing...

He realized that even though he could feel his Philosopher's Stone inside of him it was different! He could feel energy pumping through his body but they weren't souls! If they were he would have heard them crying out in the back of his mind.

"I...I'm..." Envy spoke revealing a voice that teetered between both sexes as he looked down at his shaking hands. "I'm alive again...and no souls for the stone!" He looked up at Pein with shocked eyes. "But how?"

"It's a technique that is able to create life from nothing which I used to create a body for you." Pein explained.

"Create?" Gaia asked.

"That's impossible! No form of alchemy is capable of creating organic matter like this!" Envy exclaimed.

"Basically it works by using two types of energy that when used together can be used to create form from nothing based on mere thought. I used it to create a body resembling a human to act as the container your soul." Pein explained. "In other words you won't ever revert to that parasite form again."

Envy was silent in shock as he looked down at his new body. Come to think of it he felt different from before. He didn't feel his real body that was supposed to be hidden inside his human form and he felt lighter for some reason. He should have felt the mass of his true form but considering the fact that he had no souls in his Stone it's probably why he felt so light.

He didn't know how but he could feel his Stone's power coursing through him even though there no souls powering it. No crying for death within his mind from the souls that powered him. That could be considered a relief since at times it was bothersome. This guy...he did something not even Father had been able to do unless he had become the perfect being he wanted to become. He'd no longer live as the parasitic life form he despised being?

He was still a Homunculus as far as he could tell so that he guessed it wasn't so bad.

"But...without the souls how can I heal from any wounds?" Envy asked as he looked up at Pain.

"I got that covered. Your body still has its regenerative powers but instead of human souls I transferred a large amount of chakra into that body to sustain your stone." Pein smirked, thankful of the limitless chakra the Jubi held.

"Do I still have my powers?" Envy asked as he took all of this in. "And this is my true form now?"

"You don't have a true form. I picked that one because I looked into your mind and found this to be your preferred form. And yes, your body is stronger than a human's body, much like a Homunculi's body but it's more of a human based Homunculus. Your life span is still the same as a regular Homunculus because your soul provides the powers and immortality to whatever body it resides in." Pein explained.

Envy was silent as he continued to think it over and decided to test himself. A flash of red light traveled up his body and when it faded he looked exactly like Pein. He then morphed into Gaia, testing his powers a few more times before he changed back into his preferred form and smiled when he found his powers were still intact. Not transforming into that parasite form or the giant monster that was originally his unleashed state sounded great.

His body was like Wrath's but with better regenerative abilities and he didn't need any human souls to keep his body stable. He almost felt dizzy from the implications and since he hadn't been in his preferred form for a while he fell on his back. Pain offered his hand which the homunculus reluctantly accepted as he got up.

"Are you all right?" Pein asked.

"Yeah, I just haven't been in the form for a while so I got to get used to it all over again." Envy replied as he started carefully walking.

This was one thing Envy didn't miss as when he was been born the first time he had to learn to walk in human form. He had been stuck in his parasite form ever since he had been resurrected by Blood and had long since lost any hope of regaining his powers. Thanks to Pein though his body had been restored and in some ways was better but it seemed now he had to get used to his new body all over again. He walked around in a circle several times until he was sure he could walk properly again before stopping in front of Pain and Gaia.

"I presume you're going to honor your part of the deal." Pein asked.

Envy shrugged. "I got nothing else to do."

He might as well go along with it until he had a better idea of where he was. He had no idea where Father was since it was likely that the Promised Day had long passed. None of the humans had mentioned anything about Father ordering them to bring him back, only saying they wanted the key to immortality. These two helped him out and he needed someone to tell him where he was, what year it was, and what the world was like.

He could figure out what happened since he had died if he could piece the puzzle together.

"Good. Let's go." Pein said as he picked up the vials for the others stones. "We'll save these for later. In the meantime there's another potential member who might like to join us."

They walked out of the base and Pein turned around and pointed his hand at the entrance. Envy was confused but Gaia understood what he was doing.

**"Shinra Tensei!"**

Envy's eyes widened as an invisible force slammed into the mountain the base was built inside and caused it to collapse, burying the base in rubble.

"How the hell did you do that? No alchemy could have done that!" Envy exclaimed.

"That's because it wasn't alchemy." Pein turned around and walked towards them. "We've got time to locate another base. Gaia, can you provide us with some transportation?"

"Sure." Gaia held up her hands as they glowed yellow.

The ground under them lifted up into the air.

"Whoa!" Envy exclaimed, looking down at the floating gravel in shock. "This is new."

"Where should we go?" Gaia asked.

"That way." Pein pointed west. "I'll let you know when we're close."

Terra nodded and mentally the floating piece of earth under them to fly west. They flew above the forest very fast, a testament to Terra's new control of powers and increased strength.

"So what exactly are we doing? If you knew about us I guess there's someone special where we're heading." Envy said wanting to know what was going on.

"Well, Envy, it's a long story." Pein started explaining how different the world was from when Envy and the other Homunculi had died.

He explained what he had learned from Blood's logs about what he had learned about alchemy and that it had been somehow forgotten. He explained that the world was now full of humans that had some kind of genetic mutation giving them super powers that were referred to as meta-humans.

"Seriously, everyone's forgotten about alchemy? I may sometimes point out how dumb humans can be but to completely forget what made a country like Amestris so powerful?" Envy commented. "Must have been something big that wiped out all the evidence. So what are you planning here?"

"There are meta humans being experimented on to further the goals of the government and rogue organizations like Blood's and I'm ending that. I don't plan to do anything that your Father did. The guy must have been a complete moron to think he could become God." Pein scoffed. "No offense."

"Whatever." Envy shrugged. "I asked what happened to Father and those humans say he was killed. I didn't think it was possible but then again I didn't think I'd be brought back."

"Anyways, the people I'm looking for might see the benefit of joining the Akatsuki, most likely a lot better than being locked up and experimented on like a lab rat." Pein replied.

"So what would exactly would we do?" Envy asked.

"For the most part we'd be a group working to stop bad guys and villains. I don't see us working with the super heroes since we're too different when it comes to combating super villains and criminals. Considering your powers Envy, how do missions like assassinating crimes lords, rapists, and scum bags alike that sound?"

Envy shrugged. "Sounds fine by me, so as long as you don't give me orders like you're my commander or boss."

"That's fine so as long as you don't go around tormenting innocent people. I read up your profile Envy and I know what you like to do and what you did." Pein replied giving Envy a glare which made the homunculus step back with his hands up.

"Hey, hey, I understand perfectly. No need to get all scary on me." Envy replied.

"As for the other Homunculi." Pein held up the vials containing the stones of the other Homunculi. "How would they feel about this if I actually find a human host for them?"

"Hard to say. Lust was loyal to Father, so was Wrath but he said he liked how the humans complicated Father's plans so he might agree, Sloth won't care so as long as he gets to nap." Envy replied with a thoughtful look. "Where are the others?"

"I checked Blood's files. They couldn't bring back Greed, Pride, or Gluttony because they believed they were still alive." Pein replied making Envy look at him with complete look of shock on his face.

"What?! They're alive?! It's been who knows how long and they're still alive?!" Envy exclaimed. "No way! Greed I can understand, that bastard's probably hanging out in a bar with a gang of ladies but Pride and Gluttony? Pride would have gone on a rampage to avenge Father and since the world's still full of humans they likely stopped him. And Gluttony's a complete retard, there's no way he'd survive all these years."

"I read it from Blood's notes, Envy. That's all I know." Pein sighed as he as he turned forward, observing the journey.

Envy simply stared at him and Gaia who had been silent as she listened to the conversation. Envy found it hard to believe that three of the Homunculi could still be alive after all this time. What have they been doing all this time? Where they really alive or where their stones being held somewhere else?

Envy was not used to having so many questions in his head but considering he never even thought he'd be brought back to life this was to be a bit expected. He looked at Pein and Terra as they continued they stared off, enjoying the flight. Two humans with powers he had never seen before in his previous life that had offered him to join their group. As much as Envy hated to rely on humans he needed their help since this world was not the one he had remembered.

He didn't have Father to make the plans anymore and he had been trapped in that base for some time now so he had no idea what the world was like now. Sure humans might be as dumb and stupid as he remembered them but still he had no idea what the world was like now. That lab he had been resurrected looked different with more advanced machines than what he remembered. He had nowhere to go, no one to help him figure out what he should do, and no annoying pipsqueak for him to torment.

Until he could find hosts for Lust, Sloth, and Wrath he was on his own and to be honest he was desperate enough to have humans as his companions as he started his second life.

'Well, Father, we got a second chance at life while you're long gone and I could care less.'

They stopped at another mountain after an hour of travelling. There was no sign of a base but Pein knew exactly where it was.

"This is it." Pein pointed a large metal door at the base of the mountain.

"A second base that's also in a mountain? Can't humans think of anything else?" Envy scoffed. "So, who are we here for?"

"A meta-human rumoured to have the powers of a ghost." Pein replied which made Gaia and Envy glance at him.

"A ghost?" Gaia asked.

"Yes, literally a ghost meaning she has the ability to fly, go intangible, turn invisible, and many other unknown abilities." Pein explained.

"That's impossible! I believed you when you told me there were humans with strange powers but that's a little much!" Envy exclaimed.

"Nothing's impossible, Envy." Pein replied as he put a hand against the wall of the mountain. "There are two humans in the world with that kind of power, called half ghosts. One is revered as a super hero while the other one is barely even known and has been locked up in here for about a year, trained to be a weapon."

"Why?" Gaia asked, horrified and angry someone would do that.

"They're afraid. With so many meta humans the governments have started looking for ways to fight them just in case ones like the Justice League go rogue." Pein replied.

"Typical humans." Envy scoffed. "They fear anything superior to them that they react with anger and cruelty. So how are we busting into this?"

"This time I'm leaving you and Terra to come up with a plan." Pein replied which made Envy and Gaia stare at him with confused looks. "Seeing as you two agreed to become part of the Akatsuki it's obvious you'll be working together. Why not see if you two can work well?"

Pein walked over to a rock and sat on it as he watched the two members as they looked at each other. For her part Gaia had been a little freaked by Envy's origins but she figured she might get used to it so she held out her hand towards him. "Looks like we're stuck together, huh, Mr. Envy?"

Envy raised an eyebrow at the blond haired girl in front of him as she looked a little frightened but was putting up a brave front. Normally he'd take the chance to mock someone for that but with Pein watching it might be a bad thing so he simply shook her hand. "Looks like it, and don't call me mister, just Envy."

Gaia nodded as they both turned to the base while attempting to think a plan. "So, you're a shape shifter right?"

"Duh! I mentioned it to you guys back at the place where you found me." Envy rolled his eyes.

"So you can change into any animal or can you also change into people?" Gaia asked.

"Where are you going with this?" Envy looked at her, trying to see what she was up to.

"Well, I can use my powers to shake the mountain and cause a distraction making them open the gate and you could turn into a small animal and infiltrate it and find this half ghost." Gaia suggested.

Envy thought it over and it didn't seem like a bad plan. She does all the hard work and fighting and he slips under their noses. Envy usually only fought if he had to as he was more suited to spying and manipulation. "Okay then, sounds like a plan to me. Let's get on with it; I haven't had a good fight in a while."

Gaia nodded and walked towards the base with her eyes and hands glowing yellow. She put her hands on the ground and closed her eyes. Concentrating the powers the mountain and the ground began to shake.

'This must be her so called earth powers at work.' Envy thought as he took cover and watched.

Xxx

Inside the facility a single finger sat in the corner of her cell with her arms and legs pressed against her. She had her head down that obscured her face with her long black hair that reached down her back. Her clothing was a simple white jump suit with a collar that kept her powers suppressed. She hadn't moved until she felt the earth starting to shake. She looked up revealing blue eyes that had dark circles around them showing she hadn't slept well.

'An earthquake? Maybe it'll wreck this damn place!' She thought as she stood up.

"We have intruders outside!" A voice shouted from outside her cell and she could hear footsteps running down the hall.

'Has Danny found me?' She thought with hope rising in her.

Xxx

Gaia watched as the metal door opened and three men wearing white suits came out on hover bikes with their pistols pointed at her. She quickly lifted the ground below her like a board that allowed her fly above the last shots they fired at her.

'What the hell are those contraptions?' Envy thought as he watched.

He had never seen anything like those before. Obviously since humans had forgotten about alchemy they must have improved their technology but this was unexpected! Gaia flew through the air, spinning, diving, and dodging them as they shot and pursued her.

'My turn.' Envy thought as he changed into a small dog and ran into the entrance that was still open.

Taking extra precaution Envy found himself in a larger hanger full of vehicles ranging from armoured vans to more hover bikes.

'With all of this junk in the way how the hell am I supposed to find anyone?' Envy gritted his teeth as he sniffed around.

Envy wouldn't normally do this but in animal form like a dog or wolf his sense of smell was on par with Gluttony's.

"Hey! How'd a dog get in?"

Envy looked up when he saw two humans dressed in white suits, black ties, and wearing sun glasses entered the hanger.

"The commander will have our hides when he finds out a filthy mutt got in." One agent groaned. "Let's put a collar on it and take it to quarantine to have it cleaned up."

"Affirmative. This dog might be tracking the prisoner." The other agent replied which spiked Envy's interest.

'Prisoner huh? I guess lady luck's with me now!' Envy thought gleefully as the two agents approached him.

"Stay boy, stay right there." The first agent said as his partner pulled out a collar.

"How about instead we play smart Homunculus and dead humans?" The dog asked in a male voice that sounded slightly female.

Both agents were still in shock as the dog began to change. Red light traveled up his body and Envy was back in his preferred form. Both agents were still in shock as Envy changed his hands into snakes and wrapped them about both their necks.

Envy laughed as he started to squeeze their necks. "I swear, no matter how many centuries pass humans never learn! Now then, about this prisoner of yours, where do I find him?"

"We'll never talk! Once backup gets here you'll be outnumbered freak-"The first agent was cut off as Envy had the snake wrapped his neck bite at his throat and instantly caused him to start to bleed to death.

"You're not that smart are you? Mouthing off to someone who can kill without a second thought." Envy scoffed as he dropped the dead and his left arm changed back to normal. He looked to the other agent who watched in shock. "You're next if you don't tell me where this prisoner is."

"All right! All right! Quarantine Level, two levels down! Go down the hall and use the elevator!" The agent cried.

"Thanks." Envy smirked as he turned his left hand into a sword.

"But you said you'd let me live if I told you!" The agent pale.

"No, I said I'd kill you if you didn't tell me, nothing about sparing your life. Idiot human." Envy stabbed him in the chest and dropped him to the floor.

Pein had mentioned that these guys were going behind the government's back so there was no reason to spare them if they were experimenting on their captives so Envy figured he get away with this. Pein would probably get mad if he killed innocent people so it's lucky for him that these guys weren't innocent. Taking the form of the agent he stabbed he casually walked down the hall with a whistle, noting the difference between the base and any other military installation he had been in during his previous life. He stopped when he found the elevator and pressed the down button.

As he tapped his foot waiting for the elevator he wondered what this ghost human was like.

The elevator stopped and the door opened...to reveal a group of agents pointing their guns at him. Envy raised an eyebrow as he raised his hands. "What is this?"

"Drop the act shape shifter. We saw what you did on the security cameras." The lead agent snarled.

That made him angry since he had no idea he had been watched happened and didn't like it when something unexpected like that happened. He shifted back into his preferred form as he stepped out towards. "Hey, hey, hey, no need to point guns. I don't like fighting. I'm just here to pick this prisoner. Hand him over and we'll leave with no trouble."

"Yeah right, you're coming with us to be locked and be subject to experiments, painful experiments." The lead agent replied making Envy frown.

"Well, you don't sugar coat your words which is something I like...but I'm not getting experimented on by morons like you!" Envy's right arm transformed into its unleashed state as it launched at the agents like a rocket and slammed into them.

Envy retracted his arm and looked at the scattered bodies with some dead and others in a lot of pain. He grabbed on the living ones by the collar and lifted him to face Envy.

"All right, I'll only ask once. Where's this prisoner?" Envy demanded his voice low and threatening.

The agent gulped as he pointed down the hall. Envy scoffed at the cowardly human as he tossed the agent aside and walked down the hall. "This prisoner better be worth it."

He stopped at an armoured door that looked like it was designed to keep someone from getting out.

'Bingo.' Envy thought as he knocked on the door. "Hello? Anybody home? Specifically a so called half ghost?"

He heard a shuffling sound and then footsteps running to the other side of the door.

"Hello?" A _female_ voice called out from the other side door making Envy raise an eyebrow. "Who's out there? Did Danny send you to rescue me?"

Envy ignored her questions as he stepped back. "Get away from the door and make sure you're out of its way."

His right arm changed into its unleashed state as he punched the door, knocking it off its inches and sending it into the wall. Envy peeked inside to make sure he hadn't killed her and saw a teenage girl pressed against the wall, staring at him in shock.

"This is the so called half ghost? You look like a normal weak human to me." Envy commented earning a glare from the girl.

"It's this damn collar!" She pointed to the metal collar around her neck. "It suppresses my powers so they can keep me here!"

Envy raised one eyebrow as he walked towards her and she stepped back. "Hey, I was sent here to get you out so I'm not going to do anything other than breaking that collar."

The girl stopped moving allowing Envy to grab the metal collar and he broke it in easily. The girl looked as it fell to the floor and tried to activate her powers. Envy watched in shock and fascination as a white ring formed around her waist and split into two as they went in opposite directions covering her body. Her white prison suit became a white and black jump suit with a D logo on her chest, her long black hair became white as snow, and her blue eyes were now bright glowing green eyes.

"Finally!" She yelled happily as she floated up in the air leaving a gawking Envy to watch.

He thought Pein was losing it when he said that the prisoner had ghost powers but seeing her floating in the air showed him otherwise. No wonder Pein wanted to ask her join his group.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Envy headed for the door followed by the girl.

Xxx

Gaia flew through the air, avoiding laser shots as she flew back down to the earth with the three agents flying after her on their hover bikes.

"Okay, now I'm tired of this." Gaia said as she flew above the ground and created a wall of earth behind her.

The agents screamed as they jumped off their bikes and they crashed into the earth wall. The wall split in two allowing Terra to float through it and she sent several pebbles to their heads and knocked them out. She sighed as the rock she on floated down to the ground and she hopped off it. She heard a clapping sound and saw Pein walking over to her with a smile as he clapped.

"That was great, Gaia. You managed to keep them busy while Envy rescued the prisoner." He pointed to the entrance and saw Envy walking out followed by a girl with white hair and glowing green eyes.

"Oy, Pein! I got her!" Envy shouted as he gestured at her with his thumb.

"How was it in there?" Pein asked as they walked up to him.

"Those humans were a pain in the ass but I found the so called half ghost." Envy scoffed as the girl looked at them with slight suspicion.

Pein smiled at her and she couldn't help but blush a little but was curious about his eyes because of the multiple rings around his pupils.

"Hello there, my name's Pein, this is Gaia, and you've already met Envy." Pain introduced the other two members of the New Akatsuki to the half ghost.

"My...name's Danielle." The ghost girl returned to her human form. "Thank you for rescuing me from that place. I thought I was going to be trapped in there forever."

"How long were you in there?" Pein asked.

"I think it's been a year now." Danielle frowned at the white prison uniform she had to wear in her human form. "They wanted to use me a weapon against my...cousin because they're afraid of him even though he saved the world."

"I know, I found this place from someone who knew what was going on here and decided to rescue you, but you have Gaia and Envy to thank for that." Pein gestured to the other two members of the group.

Envy shrugged, a little happy that he was getting the credit while Terra waved her hand at Danielle.

"I know that you have questions for us but it's getting a little late now. You think we can answer again in the morning if you want to hang around?" Pein asked.

Danielle thought it over and agreed since she had no one to go for a place to sleep other than Danny but she didn't know where the base was when she was captured so she has no idea which direction Amity Park is in.

"All right, everyone place your hand on me and we'll be home in a second." Pein held out his arm.

Gaia quickly put her hand on his arm while Envy and Danielle hesitantly followed and they all vanished in a yellow flash.

Xxx

Danielle had felt like throwing up when they had reappeared in the Akatsuki's underground headquarters. Envy was not that much better as he fell to his knees.

"What the hell was that?" He looked up at Pein.

"That was a special technique that allowed us to teleport back to our base." Pein said as he offered a hand to help both of them get up.

"Don't worry, you either get used to it or you might want to have a barf bag on you at all times." Gaia shrugged as she walked over to the couch and sat down on. "Welcome to home sweet home."

"This is it?" Envy looked around.

It seemed a little more accommodating than Father's hideout mostly because Father's lair had resembled a dungeon.

"We better get Danielle some new clothes." Pein pointed at Danielle's prison suit. "I doubt they had anything she would have liked."

"On it!" Gaia jumped and grabbed Danielle's wrist. "Come on! We got lots for you to try on!"

Danielle let out an 'eep' as she was dragged off by Gaia leaving Envy and Pein in the room. Pein brought up the container of vials for the other Homunculi and put them on the counter. Envy walked over to the counter and looked down at the stones and stared at the labels.

'Lust, Wrath, and Sloth.' Envy thought as he considered what he should do.

He agreed to work with these humans but it didn't sound like a bad idea to try and get some Homunculi to keep him company again. He and Lust got along well while Sloth was boring as hell since he only wanted to nap. It was Wrath Envy had a problem with since he considered Wrath to have a stick the size of the nation he previously ruled over shoved up his ass. Envy had disliked Wrath for acting so superior even though he was a Homunculus that aged like a human.

How is that superior to any of the other Homunculi? He wondered if he'd be able to stomach Wrath this time, especially if he did find a human host for the others. And how can he locate the others, Greed, Gluttony, and Pride? They could be anywhere.

"Hundred yen for your thoughts, Envy?" Pein asked shaking Envy from his thoughts.

Envy's first impulse would have been to tell Pein to fuck off but that was a bad idea. Pein tolerated him having a mind of his own and not being a pawn like the way Father treated him and the others but mouthing off to him would be a bad idea.

"Just wondering how the hell I'll get the others back. Without Father the only way to bring them back is to inject the stones into humans bodies and turn them into human type Homunculi, but that could take forever since the process if painful and often fatal." Envy replied as he looked over the stones.

"And what would happen to the human hosts if they survive?" Pein asked.

"Well...with Wrath he fought the stone's attempt to take over his body and ended up destroying all of the souls in his original stone so even though he became a Homunculus he couldn't regenerate like we could. But with Greed his host gave him control so the souls in his stone were still there." Envy explained with a thoughtful look. "It all depends on the humans their stones are injected into."

"Maybe they just need the right hosts." Pein looked over the envelopes of information he had taken from Blood's office. "I'd like to try something."

He reached out to the stones and touched all three stones. His eyes closed and his eyes allowed him to see into the stone.

Xxx

He awoke to find himself in a white void.

**"What have we here?"**

Naruto's eyes narrowed as dark shadowed figure appeared in the void in front of him, resembling a beautiful woman with an hour glass figure..

"**A human.**" Another dark outline appeared, this time it resembled a muscular man with his right eye glowing red.

"**He woke me up...I'd like to go back to sleep.**" The third one was larger than both of them with huge muscles and like the second one had a red glowing right eye while the other one was pure white.

"Are you Lust, Wrath, and Sloth?"

**"We are and who are you? How can you appear in this place when the stone carrying me has not been injected into a human yet?" **Lust asked.

"We have some details to work out." Naruto said sternly. "If I decided to allow you a chance to live again it'd be on my terms and I won't tolerate any form deceit or trickery from you."

"**What makes you think you have the power to command us? I could always try and add your soul to my collection.**" Lust stepped forward with her fingers turning into lances.

Wrath revealed two swords in his hands but Sloth did not move, preferring to let Lust and Wrath fight.

"You can try..." Naruto smirked as he called upon the power of the Juubi.

Lust and Wrath stopped when Naruto was surrounded by a golden aura and the three Homunculi sensed something powerful emanating from within him. This power was beyond anything they had felt before, a power so great it was like a sea threatening to fall upon them, or the Earth itself threatening to rise up and swallow them whole. They couldn't describe what they were feeling, all three of them actually felt afraid, they felt small, they felt insignificant, they felt like what their Father had labelled humans...

Nothing but worms crawling on the ground around the feet of the mighty giant.

"Does this little demonstration prove my point?" Naruto asked, sensing the fear on the dark figure before him.

"**What is this? I never felt this kind of power before...It's unlimited, beyond anything I have sensed before!**" Lust stepped back, not daring to attack this human.

Was he even human at all?

"Excellent, now listen here. I freed your sibling Envy along with the stones holding you from the HIVE base mostly because I don't like when any kind of being is trained as a weapon against their will. That being said I am considering offering you and the Homunculi a chance at a new life in this new world which is nothing like before during your first life. However I would only agree to that if you agree to a few conditions." Naruto held up his hand. "One: you do not try and take over your new host by force but offer them your power so they can survive the transformation. Two: you do not try what your Father did by sacrificing an entire country to make a Philosopher's Stone or try to absorb the Truth. Three: No killing of anyone who is innocent such as children or defenceless people. Agree to these terms and I'll try and find you a host and allow you all chance to live your own life, even if you do not become part of the group I am creating."

The three Homunculi thought it over for a second before nodding with Wrath speaking for them. "**These terms seem fair to me. I do long to see the living world again rather than spend eternity like this. All right, I'll agree to this deal and when I return I'll offer my powers to help you in your goal.**"

"Very well." Naruto said and vanished from the void inside the stone.

Xxx

When Pein awoke back in the world of the living he picked up the vials and handed them to Envy, surprising him.

"What are you-"Envy looked frozen in shocked.

"Consider it a test of trust." Pein replied. "Your first mission for the Akatsuki, finding human hosts for the other Homunculi. I filled these stones with a large amount of charka to substitute for souls so they'll have their regenerative powers back, now it's just a matter of finding a host."

"...You trust me to do this and not run off with the stones to cause trouble?" Envy asked bewildered.

"Like I said before, Envy, I want everyone in this organization to trust each other. This is your test." Pein replied as he headed for the door. "You don't have to head out right now and if you want you can ask for Terra's help since everyone's going to have a partner. Terra and I can help you familiarize yourself with the new world."

Envy was surprised at the level trust directed at him. He never got that from Father or the others which always did piss him off.

Pein looked over his shoulder. "I warn you though, Envy, I'll be mad if you do anything to harm Terra or Danielle in any way. I know you only joined up because you had nowhere else to go in this new world. If you have thoughts of leaving the group that's fine but if Terra or any of my friends is harmed...I'll be _pissed_."

Envy felt a shiver of killer intent and knew right then there and that any thought of betrayal of the group was a death wish. Pein wouldn't tolerate any harm to the others. Envy could understand why he would say that, given Envy's history and letting Gaia help him was a big leap. He'd better not screw up.

"We're back." Gaia came back into the room, having removed her Akatsuki cloak for the night.

Danielle was with her, only now she wore dark blue pants, a light blue shirt; her hair was in a pony tail with the right side of her face covered by her hair. It showed off her figure a bit with some nice muscles, a still developing bust, with long legs that belonged to a jogger. Her face still had a bit of baby fat making her look younger than she actually appeared. Her T-shirt showed off her mid-drift, revealing her flat stomach and the dark circles under her eyes were gone showing off her blue eyes that matched the color of the sky.

"Hey, Danielle, feel better now that you're out of the base?" Pein asked, smiling at the two girls.

"It's better, though excuse me for asking, who are you guys?" Danielle asked as she sat down at the table. "How'd you know I was locked up?"

"It was mentioned in a list of files kept by a man who was working with the people who locked you up. He was running a school for children with superpowers and wanted to turn them into his own army. The files mentioned you among them so it seems he wanted you in that army as well." Pein explained. "They mentioned they were trying to turn you into their weapon."

Danielle nodded grimly. "They did. They had nothing to hurt my cousin and had no idea where to find him so they captured me and locked me up in their hidden base. Every day they put me through physical and mental training to try and make me as strong as Danny and they put drugs in me to try and suppress my emotions to make it easier to control me."

"What?!" Terra slammed her hands onto the table. "Bastards!"

"They wanted someone to fight my cousin on even grounds. Their technology was not enough against him anymore, they couldn't rely on the government anymore since Danny saved the world so if the government found out they'd be disbanded." Danielle explained as she remembered what they did to her. "Danny saves the world and those bastards are still looking for ways to beat him."

"That's human behavior for you." Envy shrugged. "They're afraid of what's stronger than them and they look for something to destroy it. And since this cousin of yours apparently saved the world he's probably a celebrity now."

"He is. They know him all over the world and they even know his human identity which is why he moved his family out of their home to somewhere else. Aside from his family and maybe even his closest friends no one knows where Danny lives now." Danielle replied. "They came upon me by accident and captured me. I...didn't have a lot of experience with my powers and they had experience with ghost hunting."

"Danny? As in Danny Phantom right?" Terra asked and got a nod from Danielle. "I knew it!"

"You heard of him?" Pein asked.

"Danny Phantom is the kid who fights ghost in Amity Park, a town that literally has ghosts running around it. No one believed it at first, but then there was this huge asteroid heading for Earth and none of the other heroes had time to stop it. Then, Danny Phantom along with the people of Amity Park got the idea to turn the entire Earth intangible to make asteroid go through it." Gaia explained.

"Intangible? Seriously?" Envy asked, sounding surprised. "Just what the hell have you humans been doing since the last time I was alive?"

"Apparently a lot." Pain nodded. "So Danielle, what's the plan now?"

"I...I..I don't know." Danielle looked down at the table. "I have nowhere to go. I never had a home; I pretty much resorted to traveling all over the world." She looked up at them. "Are you guys forming some kind of super hero group?"

"Not...exactly." Pein replied, noting how interested Danielle sounded. "Our group, it's not like the other super hero groups since I don't agree with all of the methods the heroes employ. In fact our methods may make us their enemies."

"Why's that?" Danielle asked, glad that the topic had been changed.

"Danielle, where I come from we're not trained to be heroes but soldiers. We're aligned with the village we are born in and we work as soldiers, assassins, and even thieves when the mission calls for it." Pein explained. "I came here by accident and since then I've been wondering what I should do. I could have settled for the civilian life but that's not who I am so I decided to form my own group to deal with criminals and villains, but on my own terms. And since I was trained as an assassin you might know what my methods are."

"You...you're talking about killing." Danielle's eyes went wide. "Isn't that against the law?"

"It's not when soldiers in the army are given orders to kill their enemies, even if their enemies are civilians." Envy scoffed. "People die from the common cold and other diseases all the time. Does that make the disease a murderer even though it's incapable of doing anything other then what it only knows what to do by instinct? What about the soldiers who come back from the battle? Would their families say they were murderers or would they welcome them back tears and hugs?" He leaned back on his chair. "When they come home do they celebrate that their country won the war by committing a mass murder? Do they deserve to be treated like villains for being ordered to kill? The so called heroes say it's against the law but are they not taking the law into their own hands when they bust criminals instead of leaving it to the authorities?"

"It's hard to say Danielle but simply throwing them in jail doesn't work anymore." Terra agreed. "The really bad ones only escape a little while later and go back to what they do, making people suffer. It's hard for me, but I actually agree with Pein's methods and I'm here because I believe he can help me train my powers and keep me from hurting anyone who's precious to me."

"As much as I respect the heroes and their control to keep them from going over the edge they just try to lock criminals in jail, supposedly giving them a second chance but while some have a chance to reform for the better some will never change." Pein said. "My group will do the same as heroes, protecting the innocent but at the same time I can't turn a blind eye to the villains who'll never change no matter how many chances they get or the government's numerous divisions that have imprisoned meta humans to be used as weapons like they did to you."

He stood up and closed his eyes. When he opened them up again Danielle was surprised when she saw the purple eyes with rings that resembled the ripples in a pond where replaced by sky blue eyes that were so beautiful she could get lost in them.

"You don't have to join us or even worrying about having to report us. You can stay here for the night and head off in the morning, but you should have breakfast first. I can't imagine those bastards feeding you any good food. Gaia will show you your room for the night."

With that said the group had settled in for the night. As she relaxed in her bed that was comfy compared to the bench she had slept on in her cell Danielle wondered what she should do.


	7. Viral Outbreak

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

A girl sitting on a bus sighed as she looked out the window at the buildings the bus passed by. She was young and attractive looking, wearing a black corset over a blue shirt with green sleeves with a black collar on her neck, a short black and a blue mini-skirt over black stockings, and black boots on her feet up to her knees. Her hair was short, black with blue highlights while her skin was pale almost white, she wore blue lipstick and her eyes were dark green, so dark they were almost completely black. She ignored the rest of the people on the bus since she didn't want to speak to anyone at the moment.

Her name was Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Rivers and she had just broken up with her current boyfriend, Duncan Matthews a few months earlier. She had caught him cheating on her with one of the contestants from the fourth season, the girl named Anne Maria. Gwen closed her eyes as she remembered when she asked Duncan why and what his answer was.

_'I don't know, she was hot and I decided 'why not'?'_

She immediately dumped him after that but he didn't seem too broken hearted over it. He just acted like they were never together and sometimes flirted with Anne Maria. She got some sympathy from a few of her friends but some pointed out that she should have seen it coming. Despite any sympathy given to her since her break up Gwen felt almost...empty.

She tried to be happy with Trent but he went crazy and obsessive on her, she thought Duncan would never do something like what he did with Courtney to her but he proved her wrong, and Cody had moved on deciding that to give Sierra a chance. She distracted herself with her sketchbook, shutting out any human contact unless one of her friends prompted her to speak and then she kept conversation short and quick.

'It's bad enough I have to see him again but to go to some new stupid season?' Gwen thought as she closed her eyes, wishing she wasn't going at all.

She hated Total Drama more than ever now, for the pain, the torment, and humiliation inflicted from all of the seasons and even if she had a few friends left she felt herself even lonelier than she did before Total Drama. She looked over at the other contestants happily chatting away, happy to be back on the stupid show just for another to win a case full of money that's going to get burned up or spent on something stupid. Alejandro had finally recovered and was now making out with Heather who seemed happy, Scott had recovered as well and seemed less happy to be here than her, Gwen saw Mike and Zoey laughing together and couldn't help but be reminded of how she was once like that with Trent and Duncan. Those two are among the only lucky ones on the show.

Everyone else on the bus was the same as before, here to compete in a stupid show for one million dollars. Gwen mentally shook her head, wondering if they even think the money was even worth it anymore. Was everyone willing to forget all the torture they went through just for another load of money?

How long before they betrayed each other for the money again?

How long before relationships are strained and torn apart?

It always happens, she can see that now.

No matter how great your friends seem on this show, it's all one big lie just to win. The new scene of this season was in Philadelphia...but knowing Chris he would move it all the way from east to west coast and down to the Gulf of Mexico before he was satisfied.

The host stood up and turned to address the cast members. "Alright people, welcome to Philadelphia, US of A. We are heading to the world famous Membrane Labs for the beginning of this season of Total Drama. Total...Drama...Biohazard!"

"...sweeeeellll!" Bridgette groaned.

"Now god forbid anybody here actually knows who Professor Membrane is-"

"Professor...Membrane," Heather deadpanned. "Seriously? Tell me the guy isn't married."

"Ooh, harsh," Chris chuckled. "Well...I didn't care to ask. But anyhow he is allowing us to use the Membrane Labs as a set for this season until we move on later. These labs are responsible for the creation of...practically everything in your modern life from video games, medicines-"

"And over a hundred billion dollars worth of military hardware," Noah added. "The guy pretty much makes everything, but the government pays him big bucks to develop big guns for them."

"And we'll be getting a big tour of his complex with large games and challenges set up for the season." Chris continued. "It will. Be. A. BLAST!"

"Swell." Gwen muttered quietly and went back to looking out the window.

The bus stopped in front of a huge building with the words 'MEMBRANE CORPORATION' imprinted on it. As the contestants got off the bus the door opened and revealed the inside of the building.

"Oh my gosh! It's like a super mall!" Lindsay squealed along with Beth, Katie and Sadie.

"If only my auntie were here to see, she invented opening and closing doors." Staci started another one of her stories which no one bothered to listen to.

"Yep, the workers usually stay here almost all the time so they set up a sort mall complex to get clean clothes, deodorant, and food as they keep working." Chris said as he led them inside. "Not to mention the gym and swimming pool they added here."

"Can I ask where the food courts are?" Owen asked.

"Seriously? You had five meals on the way here." Noah sighed.

"I know, and I'm still hungry!" Owen whined.

"Contestants, the first challenge will happen at the main plaza of the complex in thirty minutes so go ahead and explore the place but be back before the challenge begins or you're disqualified." Chris announced.

Most of the group cheered and ran off to explore the huge mall.

'Maybe I'll get lost and just let myself get kicked out to avoid this stupid show.' Gwen thought as she walked off.

Xxx

"Come on; come on, ladies and gentlemen! We must hurry! The show starts in five minutes!" Professor Membrane called out to all of the scientists in the lab. "We must hurry and get ready!"

"Sir, you have a meeting the Health Department just before the show and there are more protestors at the front entrance regarding the virus." His secretary said as they walked down the hall.

"More concerned people, huh? How goes the search for the cure?" Membrane asked as they stepped out of the lab section.

"Unfortunately sir, all attempts to block the spread so far failed and the virus seems to evolve."

Membrane sighed. "To think science could create such an abomination. Even if there are protestors against us having the virus here it's necessary to find a cure so as long as there are former members of UMBRELLA out there selling it on the black market."

"The authorities have demanded increased security around the T-Virus vault due to the visitors from the Total Drama reality show and the nearby schools." His secretary continued to update him on all necessary news.

"Anymore increased security and this'll be a military base, not a science facility. Tell them, that the addition of more guards is unnecessary and if they push call security and ask them to leave." Membrane walked into his limo. "Let me know how the show's progress is when I return."

Xxx

Further into the complex there were four men and a woman hiding in a supply closet. The section had experienced a power outage rather conveniently, so the cameras were down. Nobody was there to see the Kevlar armour and automatic weapons they had pulled from crates. The leader of the group was the only one not carrying a massive rifle but a mere pistol and wore a simple Kevlar vest over his clothes.

"Alright, you know the procedure," He said to the four mercenaries. "Avoid casualties if possible, and make it look like an accident. You have your gas masks?"

"Got it," The mercenary leader nodded.

"And the vaccines?"

"Injected and ready."

Though Membrane had failed to find an outright cure for the effects of the T Virus it had barely taken him a week to make a vaccine so that his security force and employees would not be turned in the event of an outbreak. This man needed them vaccinated so nothing would go wrong. However the protestors out front and the guests from the show along with much of the support staff who were usually away on break whenever Membrane opened the compartment used for T Virus research...

They would be part of the show. He needed evidence that Membrane had been tampering with the T Virus, but he knew the professor would never allow a simple accident to release it...so he would make one of his own and blame it on the professor. This would leave room for him to come in and save the day with the cure being developed over in his own research lab by some of the best scientists in the world.

Lex Corps had always competed with Membrane Labs...but now there would be no competition.

The mercenaries exited the closet along with the scientist-who wore a balaclava over his head to hide his identity while they wore helmets. They did not encounter anybody until they reached a set of doors marked T CONTAINMENT. Two guards stood outside of it and tensed when they saw the mercenaries. They both pulled out their guns and took aim. "Halt! Hands up!"

The leader replied by raising his rifle and firing a single burst into the first guard. He was knocked back with holes in his chest. The second guard wisely dove into cover and was shouting into his radio. "Alert! Alert! Armed hostiles near T Containment! Send back-" A small canister landed next to him. "Huh?"

The grenade explosion was heard as a dull 'thud' from several corridors away. When the smoke cleared the mercenaries rushed to the door and stepped over what was left of the two guards.

"Here we go," The scientist tapped his access code in, and the metal doors hissed open. "There shouldn't be any armed resistance past here, so do avoid shooting anybody unless they give you trouble."

"Got it, move in!" The four mercenaries stormed the lab beyond, which held a massive metal tank surrounded by rows of consoles and an air tight plexiglass barrier to further prevent anybody from getting near it or the contents from leaking out.

"Hands where we can see them!" The mercenary leader shouted. "Everybody away from your stations and against the wall!" Frightened scientists were herded away while one of the mercenaries began to shut the doors behind them.

"First let's make sure we don't cause a bigger catastrophe than we want," the scientist muttered as he reached the master controls. "Lock Down Procedure Achilles Heel activated." He tapped in the command code and then pressed the big red button Membrane had made so that not even an idiot-like one who mixed up certain chemicals could hit the wrong button...like the big blue button labelled 'TANK PRESSURE CONTROLS' next to it.

Xxx

"Welcome everyone to the main plaza of the Membrane Complex and the opening of the next Total Drama season!" Chris announced, smiling as the large audience cheered and clapped. "I'm your host Chris McClean and we've brought all of your favourite contestants from all season of Total Drama!"

The camera pointed to all of the contestants where some smiled and waved at the audience as they cheered.

"You all get to see them in action here in this complex." Chris continued.

'Translation, you all get to watch him torture and humiliate us again.' Gwen mentally sighed.

But before Chris could continue he was cut off by the sound of alarms coming to life and red lights flashing all over the complex.

Doors began to shut; metal shutters slid down over windows, vents were sealed off entirely. Alarms wailed all over the complex. Everyone stopped cheering and looked concerned and afraid as they started asking questions about what was going on.

"This wasn't in the script." Chris held the mike away as he whispered to Chef.

Xxx

"Perfect..." The scientist put his gas mask on-just to be safe; sometimes the vaccine could be less than successful unless used in larger doses. "Alright. Now for the real trouble to begin."

"What are you doing?! You can't open that!" One of the scientists shouted. "You have no idea what it will do! We'll be safe but-but there are children in this building now! You'll kill them all!"

"...no. Membrane will have killed them all," The spy smirked under his gas mask. "Accessing T Virus Containment controls...initiating manual override of security...opening hatches, retracting barrier." The barrier around the tank slid into the floor while the top of the tank opened...

Even though it was colourless and odourless, the T Virus spread through the room as fast as a person sneezing could spread bacteria.

"Good...now to let it do its job," the spy looked to the mercenaries. "Open the interior security doors; we need the virus to leak out into the studio."

"Get to it," The mercenary leader said to two of his underlings, who forced open the security doors.

One of the scientists had edged further along the wall...and quickly smashed a glass case and hit the red button within with only one swing of his arm. This was another alert used to further warn people that the initial viral containment had failed. He was happy that he had perhaps given them a chance now...he didn't even mind when the fourth mercenary shot him right through the head with her rifle.

"Damn it..." the spy sighed. "It doesn't matter, even if they do figure it out the virus is already spreading. It's time for us to leave."

Xxx

The audience started to panic while security officers attempted to calm them down.

"All right, we just hit a slight intermission we'll be right back!" Chris said to the camera and turned it off. "Okay, we edit that out and we keep our ratings!"

"What's happening?" Bridgette asked she hugged Geoff who hugged her back.

"I don't know Bridge, but we'll be fine." Geoff smiled to calm her down.

Zoey and Mike hugged each other while Sierra quickly grabbed Cody and held her him against her chest to keep him safe. Lindsay screamed and hugged Tyler, while Beth and Staci were hugging each other as they looked very scared. Owen shrieked and leaped into Izzy's arms-and she struggled to hold up her boy friend. Heather and Courtney mimicked Owen's action, and Heather was too scared to notice that Courtney was also in the arms of Alejandro-who was equally too distracted.

"What the hell is going on?!" Jo and Eva shouted as they looked around.

Cameron latched onto Mike and Zoey screaming.

"Oh man! This is like the start of the first level of Lockdown!" Sam said as Dakota hugged him.

"TRENT SAVE US!" Katie and Sadie suddenly hugged the guitarist, who was turning blue under all of the pressure from their arms.

Anne Maria quickly grabbed Duncan since they seemed to a couple now which made Gwen turn and look away while she tried to stay calm. Everyone else in the plaza were starting to get anxious and worried as they wanted to leave or find out what was going.

"Be calm everyone! Just be calm! I'm sure this is just a drill! We'll resume the show when everything has cleared up!" Chris spoke into the mike, trying to calm them down if he wanted to keep the show's ratings.

"Just stay together and wait. We'll have you out of the building soon." The security chief announced and noticed a security officer walking towards them. "Ah, here's someone to tell us what's going on. Tom, what's going on?"

The officer let out a groan as he walked towards the crowd, not seeming to hear the chief's question.

'That guy, he's walking like he's a...Nah, stop dreaming Gwen! He's not a zombie!' Gwen shook her head.

"Tom, I asked you what's going on?" The chief repeated as he walked towards the man. "What the hell i-AH!"

Tom lunged at the chief, grabbing him and bit into his neck. Everyone screamed as the zombie bit into his neck, only then noticing that it was not alone and that more were coming. Civilians started running, looking for a way out and running into more zombies. Gwen could only see the rest of the cast screaming as they ran around, looking for a way out.

"Oh crap!" Chris dropped the mike and started running without concern for the cast.

Gwen turned and saw a zombie that used to be a male civilian lunge at her neck with the intent to bite it. She screamed and kicked it in the face, knocking its head off. The zombie's body fell over with a bit of blood landing on Gwen's clothes as she stepped back. She breathed heavily to keep herself from screaming as she looked at the blood on her skin and clothes. She heard more zombies and looked as another lunged at her.

She took off, running for her life as she looked around for anyone she knew; even if it was someone she hated hoping they were still alive. She tripped over something and fell to the ground, tasting blood on the ground. She spat it out and got up, seeing a shadow stand over her. Her eyes widened as she turned and saw a female zombie standing over her.

Adrenaline took over as she reached for anything near her as the zombie lunged at her. The body she tripped over was the body of the chief and his club had fallen out when he was attacked. She grabbed at it and swung at the zombie's head, knocking it over. It started crawling towards her to grab her but she swung the club again and again until its head cracked open and stopped moving.

'I got to get out! I got to get out!' She thought over as she got up.

A scream echoed through her eardrums and she spun around to see Bridgette trying to crawl away from a pair of zombies towering over. Grasping the club in both her hands Gwen swung with all of her might and slammed the club into the head of the zombie nearest to Bridgette, shattering its skull and sending bloody guts flying. She raised her foot and kicked the second zombie, knocking it over and Gwen finished it by repeatedly stomping its head with her foot.

"Get out of here!" She spun and shouted to Bridgette.

Bridgette too terrified to respond as Gwen pulled her to her feet. Gwen looked around as she heard screams all around her. She spotted the guy as big as Owen, B she thought his name was, fighting off a zombie that had been trying to bite a terrified Dawn. Beth was pulling a screaming Lindsay away from the hoard of approaching zombies, Mike and Zoey were already running. Sierra was carrying Cody as she fought off attacking zombies, but there so many people and zombies running around that Gwen couldn't keep track of them all.

She spotted out of the corner of her eye as a zombie was approaching one of the new guys, Cam she think his name was, who was hiding behind a plant.

"Get moving, NOW!" Gwen shouted, releasing Bridgette.

She didn't know if the surfer heard her or not but she didn't think it over as she jumped over the plant and the shaking Cam and swung her club down on the zombie before it bit its target. Cam spun around and saw that Gwen had taken out a zombie that would have killed him.

"Th-tha-tha.."

"Go! Get out of here!" Gwen shouted, not bothering to wait for him to finish.

She pulled out from behind the plant and brought him to Bridgette.

"Take him and anyone else who isn't fighting and get the hell out of here!" Gwen shouted.

"But you..." Cam started but Gwen pushed him and Bridgette.

"I said GO!" Gwen shouted before turning back to the face the incoming zombies.

She could hear others screaming, crying, and hollering for help while others were fighting. She could see zombies coming everywhere with cast members like Harold, Tyler, and Jo fighting for their lives but she couldn't see everyone. Chris had disappeared but Chef was there, fighting to help hold off the murderous hoard with anyone who was fighting. Her body was starting to tire out but the fear of being bitten and turned into one of 'them' kept her going as she ran in and stopped a zombie from biting Harold in the neck.

She needed to help as best as she could if they wanted to stay alive.

"They are never ending!" Jo growled.

"Less talking, more fighting!" Eva shouted.

"Yes sir ma'am!" Brick nodded as he swung a metal pole he found and knocked a zombie's head clear off its shoulders.

Gwen heard someone screaming and spotted someone being cornered by more zombies. Not even thinking of whom it might be she dashed in and attacked them from behind, swinging her club wildly. Bashing their heads in with her club with all of her strength and cleared her way to the person who had been screaming. Her eyes widened when she saw that it had been Heather who had screaming and the zombies had already torn out a fair bit of flesh, especially from her neck.

She looked up the goth with a pleading look, something Gwen never expected to see. Gwen couldn't move until she felt hot breath on her and jumped as a zombie tried to bite her. She swung her club and knocked the zombie down but she tripped over a dead body and fell over. She gasped as she fell onto the blood stained floor, her body becoming sore and exhausted and losing its strength.

She looked up and saw the zombie she had knocked down crawling towards her. She couldn't move anymore and her vision began to darken.

'I'm sorry...I can't go on...'

Gwen's mind shut down as she lost conscious.

Xxx

Danielle sat on the couch as she was watched Envy spar with Terra in the training room of Akatsuki's underground base. Danielle had done a little training with them, just so she would not get bored and even though she was still not entirely sure about joining she had gotten to know Terra and Naruto(Pein's real name) very well while she and Envy were used to each other by now. They had all done some training together to get to know each other better and for most part got along well. The spar was pretty much even, Envy had super strength but Terra had better fighting skills thanks to training with Titans, Slade, and Naruto.

Terra wore blank tank top with gray biker shorts and black running shoes as she spared with Envy while Danielle was wearing a white sleeveless shirt, blue sweat pants, and white running shoes with blue stripes. She felt something cold pressed against her neck which made her jump and shout, interrupting the spar and spun to see Naruto holding two bottles of water.

"What'd you do that for?" Danielle glared, her eyes glowing green.

"I wanted to see how you'd react." Naruto chuckled as he handed one bottle to her, which she snatched out of his hand.

"Jerk." Danielle muttered as she drank the water, even though she was thankful for it.

She and Naruto had just spared and she was exhausted from the training. Even with her ghost powers Naruto was too powerful, countering her powers and he somehow managed to grab even when she was intangible! Danielle was exhausted by the time the week had passed. Naruto was much stronger than anyone she had ever fought in her short life time, perhaps even stronger than Danny and Vlad.

She shuddered at how their last spar went.

Xxx

_"Ready Danielle?" Naruto asked, settling into a ready stance._

_"You got it." Danielle transformed into her ghost form._

_She watched with interest as Naruto's eyes changed back to the metallic blue mascara with the multiple rings. He called these eyes the Rinnegan and was hailed as the strongest bloodline of his world, granting him powers that would make him a match for Superman. Danielle didn't quite believe him but she felt he was not the type of person to lie. _

_'Okay, here I go. I'll start with something basic.' Dani thought._

_She started off the match by firing a ghost ray but instead of dodging Naruto simply raised his hand and ghost ray was absorbed into the palm of his hand._

_'No way! He can absorb ghost rays!'Danielle gasped._

_"Is that all, Danielle?" Naruto asked, smirking._

_Shaking her head Danielle quickly turned invisible to attack Naruto from behind but to her shock her fist passed through him like he was intangible! She pulled back, not realizing she lost her invisibility from her surprise and Naruto took advantage by grabbing her arm and tossing her into the air. She quickly balanced herself and floated in the air with Naruto observing her._

_'He can go intangible too?! He's not even a halfa like me!' Dani thought, wondering just how many surprises this guy had._

_"Come on, Danielle. You must be able to do more than that." Naruto said, hoping to provoke her._

_He was not disappointed._

_"Let's see you block this!" Dani turned intangible and shot at him to try and take control of his body._

_However once again Naruto blocked by holding his hand out..._

_And grabbing her by the neck!_

_Dani gasped and pulled herself free easily, but Naruto had released her on purpose. Dani floated back and landed on the ground, staring Naruto with a new found look of shock and worry. _

_'How'd he touch me if I was intangible? He can see me while I'm invisible, he can absorb ghost rays, he can touch me while I'm intangible and he can even turn himself intangible! What the hell can't this guy do?!' Dani thought._

_"Danielle, you obviously are dependent on your powers very much but what will you do when you are up against an opponent who can match your powers easily. Now what will you do?" Naruto asked._

_Dani considered his words for a second before deciding to try and take him out directly. She underestimated him and if this was a real fight she'd probably be dead. He was holding back on her and she was actually afraid of how powerful he really was._

_"Here I come!" Dani shot forward at Naruto._

_She fired a blast of ecto-energy which Naruto absorbed but that had been to distract him as she launched a powered up kick at his face. However to her disappointment Naruto blocked her kick easily but she was not going to give up. She started launch a barrage of punches, hoping to overwhelm him with her speed and strength but Naruto blocked every strike easily and the way he did made him look like a pro. She may be younger than she looked but she liked to think she had good instincts and right now they were telling her that Naruto could be on a completely different level compared to Vlad or Danny._

_As the fight continued she found herself unable to breakthrough his defence she had come to a conclusion that she wouldn't be able to win because of one simple reason._

_Naruto was not only able to block her ghost powers but he was also stronger and faster._

_He could block her attacks flawlessly and his strength was greater than hers no matter how much power she charged into her fists and feet. So if she couldn't over power him she needed to think of a way to trap him. She jumped back and put both hands on the floor, turning the ground around Naruto intangible and he sunk until only his head was left._

_"Ha! Gotcha!" Dani stood victoriously over him._

_"Impressive thinking Danielle, but there was something you missed." Naruto remarked, not caring he buried up to his head._

_"And what's that?" Dani asked._

_That was when Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke making Dani yelp and jump back._

_"The first lesson: always look underneath the underneath." Naruto's voice whispered in her ear._

_Before Dani could do anything chains of energy wrapped around her tightly and effectively immobilized her. They turned her around as Naruto walked out of the shadows._

_"How did you do that?" Dani asked, still trying to break free._

_"A neat little trick that we'll see if you and anyone else can copy." Naruto replied as he released her. "Your skills are impressive against someone who has no defence against ghost powers and you have some skills in hand to hand combat but you are too reliant on your powers. What happens if you encounter a foe who can counter or negate your ghost abilities?"_

_"So you're saying I'm not much of a fighter." Danielle said dejectedly._

_"Not at all." Naruto smirked. "You have the potential to become much stronger, perhaps even stronger than Danny Phantom."_

_Danielle looked up with wide eyes. "What?"_

_"From what you told me Danielle a half ghost has the potential to be stronger than a normal ghost which leads me to believe there is some similarity between your powers and the type of energy I wield." Naruto remarked as he created an energy string for Danielle to see. "I've observed the same kind of power inside Terra which leads me to believe the meta humans of this world have unlocked some form of special power passed down to them from their families."_

_"You mean they inherited it genetically?" Danielle asked._

_"It's not that hard to believe. My Rinnegan," Naruto pointed at his eyes. "Is hailed as the very first bloodline limit to come into existence and from it more bloodline limits came into existence. This world is greatly different but these powers still exist in the forms of meta humans, who from I see harness a form of energy inside their bodies thanks to a form of genetic mutation. It explains how Terra gained her powers to control the Earth; in fact the people with similar abilities built their very own village back in my world." _

_"But Danny didn't inherit his power. It was created when he walked into the Fenton portal and was exposed to ectoplasm that mutated his DNA. And I was cloned from Danny's DNA." Danielle pointed out._

_"Perhaps but that doesn't mean you are any different." Naruto replied. "Now then this where I will be starting the training for all you."_

_He looked over at Terra and Envy who had been watching on the sidelines. _

_"Today we'll be talking about chakra, the energy my ancestor taught the people of my world to wield long ago." Naruto started as they gathered in front of him. "It began during an age of endless war..."_

Xxx

Terra thought all the training she had with Naruto before had been hellish but she soon regretted thinking that when Naruto offered to try and teach them how to control and manipulate chakra. Envy had been skeptical at the explanation of chakra being a reservoir of power within oneself but he soon learned that today anything was possible. Danielle herself had been fascinated by Naruto's story of his ancestor and the world he had created by teaching the people how harness and manipulate chakra. Naruto then set off to try and see if they could use this chakra and to their shock all three of them could.

Xxx

_"Let's start by seeing if it's possible for you to manipulate chakra." Naruto said, standing in front of all three new members. "Terra, you'll go first."_

_Terra stepped forward as Naruto placed a finger on her forehead and another on her navel. He then pumped a small bit of chakra into her and activated his Rinnegan to see if there would be a reaction. As the chakra flowed into her body Terra let out a gasp as she felt she had been given a huge amount of power, greater than anything she had ever felt in her entire life. Naruto's Rinnegan spotted the source of Terra's power, the sun in her chest glowing brighter sent out waves of power throughout her body. Naruto released Terra who fell to her knees, gasping for air._

_"That...that..." Terra said, unable to describe the experience._

_"Well Terra, it seems you have a high chakra level, almost high Chunin." Naruto smiled. "Not surprising considering how powerful you already are. With the right training you'll probably become the strongest Earth Controller on the planet."_

_He turned to Envy who had been watching with slight interest. "Want to try, Envy?"_

_"How do you know I can use this?" Envy asked._

_"Because when I created your new body I made it like a human and gave a high amount of chakra to substitute for the Philosopher's Stone. In fact I know you have the highest amount of chakra here next to me." Naruto replied. "Your new body has average chakra coils with healthy pathways to sustain your stone."_

_"Seriously?" Envy held out his hand. "I got this new power now?"_

_"Yes." Naruto nodded. _

_As Envy thought it over he concentrated on the last apprentice._

_"All right, Danielle. Hold out your hand." Naruto asked, turning to the last one._

_Danielle slowly held out her hand and Naruto softly held her hand with his and Naruto sent a little chakra through his hand and into her. Danielle gasped as a powerful feeling travelled through her, feeling a strange kind of power awaken inside her. The power inside her was different from her ghost powers but both types of energy seemed to work well together from what Naruto's Rinnegan could see. When Danielle was in ghost form Naruto's Rinnegan had watched as her body change into a form composed completely of spiritual energy and when she was in human form he had spotted a small bit of spiritual energy traveling through her. _

_As Naruto's chakra awoke her own chakra reserves that spiritual energy increased greatly, almost on par with Terra and Envy's. Her physical human body had awakened its inner power and in turn had made her ghost powers greatly._

_"Hmmm...Your coils are the same as an ordinary human's but they show more chakra than a normal human, almost as much as Terra." Naruto observed. "I believe you have your powers to thank for that."_

_"How so?" Danielle asked._

_"As I explained, chakra is a mixture of physical and spiritual energy and I believe your ghost form use your human form as a source of power. When I awakened your chakra pathways I saw the energy your ghost form uses actually seem to grow stronger." Naruto remarked. "From what I see when you transform into your ghost form your body is actually changed into a body of a form of spiritual energy that kind of works like physical energy does for the body which actually makes sense if you turn into an actual ghost. And if your ghost half and human half serve as a power source for each other it's possible that it actually produces charka."_

_"So I can use this chakra like you?" Danielle asked as Naruto released her hand._

_" Possibly." Naruto nodded. "I believe it's similar enough for you to learn how to control and manipulate chakra." _

Xxx

Naruto started by showing them the basic hand seals and he made sure they did not stop until they could do it in their sleep which took them nearly three days, leaving their hands aching. He then showed them how to make clones, how to disguise themselves, and how they could substitute their forms with an object or person. He laughed at the looks on their faces when he literally walked up a tree and then on water. Naruto was patient with all of them, handing out helpful pointers to them which they were grateful for and even cooked up a nice dinner for them at night when they were exhausted and hungry.

As the weeks went by all of them seemed to bond in a way. Danielle and Terra bonded since they were they were the only girls here. Envy was a smart ass and liked to fool around with his shape shifting powers but he seemed to warming up to everyone or at least he was used to their company enough that he wasn't threatened. Naruto was a nice, funny, and someone they all believed they could count on.

They had discovered that when awakening their chakra pathways Danielle and Terra's power had actually increased while Envy discovered even though he could use charka he couldn't use it as much as the others could because his chakra was used for his regeneration and his shape shifting powers but he could still use it for walking up walls and on water and minor techniques. Terra had a high level of chakra but needed practice with controlling it which is why she spent two hours meditating to better control her powers. Danielle actually had better control of her powers which she had explained was what kept her alive when her body was unstable. She found it easier to use her chakra and finished the tree walking and water walking exercises before her fellow students did but she learned it was easier to do in her human form rather than her ghost form.

He even promised if they would keep up the hard work and training he would show them more advanced techniques which made Danielle and Terra even more determined to train as hard as they could to become stronger. Envy trained with them as much as he could since he didn't want to be left out, plus it wouldn't hurt to learn some good skills. As the training continued Naruto provided them with books and scrolls to better understand how use the techniques Naruto showed them.

Danielle dropped the empty bottle of water as she turned on the TV to see what was going on.

_"We interrupt your daily programs for a special news report. Earlier today in Philadelphia at Membrane Labs, the facility was locked down suddenly in the middle of the latest Canadian Reality show 'Total Drama'. We have received information that Professor Membrane had a special lab containing the rumoured T-Virus, the virus created by the now defunct Umbrella Corporation that infected its hosts and turned them into 'zombies' that was first seen in Raccoon City before it was bombed to wipe out the virus. Membrane was keeping it here, despite the dangers to the large amounts of visitor, rumour states his own children were visiting, so he could he find a cure. Our sources inside the labs revealed that the virus had been released causing a lockdown trapping the civilians to keep the virus from spreading and repeating what happened in Raccoon City. "_ The reporter outside Membrane Labs explained. _"We are attempting to contact anyone inside to find out more and will update you when more information arrives. A quarantine has been ordered, the president has ordered an evacuation of the city and the Justice League has been asked not to enter the city."_

"Zombies now, too? What have these humans been up to since the old days?" Envy asked as he walked up to the couch. "I bet they're just like those old corpses Father used to keep under Central." He held his arms out and morphed his appearance to change his skin tone and make gaps in the skin that showed bone. His eyes rolled back into his head as he shuffled forward with a groan.

"...it's like a bad horror movie," Danielle shook her head as Envy laughed.

"Don't joke Envy, that stuff there is real!" Terra snapped. "I heard what happened in Raccoon City. At first it was a few attacks, and within two days...the whole city wound up dead! A few survivors told the story and showed evidence. Umbrella pretty much got shot down by the American Government and the T-Virus wound up on the black market. Now it's broken out again."

"And that means there could be hundreds of lives at risk." Naruto said. "Maybe millions if that virus breaks out."

His three associates exchanged glances.

"...we're goin'?" Envy asked.

"Yyyyep!" Naruto nodded. "Someone released that virus for a reason and we're going to find out why."

"Should we avoid any cameras?" Danielle asked. "You know, keep our activities...down low?"

"Only the Titans suspect a new group and for now they only know of me and Terra. Is that you deciding to join us, Danielle?" Naruto asked.

"I guess, I still don't think I'm all for killing but I'll help out in saving those people." Danielle stood up.

"In that case meet me at the entrance and five minutes, get everything you may need." Naruto vanished.

Terra grabbed Danielle and ran to change while Envy headed for the entrance, not really needing anything. The girls came to the entrance, Terra had changed into her regular clothes with her Akatsuki cloak while Danielle was wearing light blue shirt under a short sleeved blue hoodie, red slacks, and white sneakers. A second later Naruto appeared again, only now he was wearing his Akatsuki cloak over a black T-shirt, dark blue pants, and blue shinobi sandals. He had once again made his hair look orange and his Rinnegan was activated, showing that he was now the Akatsuki Leader, Pein.

In his hands were two more Akatsuki cloaks for the two newest members.

"You put this on; you show you're part of the Akatsuki now." Pein said to Danielle and Envy.

"Got it." Envy used his shape shifting powers to make an Akatsuki cloak over his regular outfit.

Danielle looked at the cloak for a second before she took it and put it on.

"So how do we get to Philadelphia? It's a kind of a little far." Danielle asked.

"Time for another one of my special abilities." Pein smirked.

"Don't tell me you're going to teleport us again." Envy replied.

"Actually, it's something like that." Pein said as he turned to face them and held out an arm. "This one will take a little longer. Put a hand on my arm."

They all did as he said and to their shock they felt themselves being pulled by something like a black hole into Pein's Rinnegan. They screamed as they along with Pein vanished into what looked like a portal.


	8. Fight the Infection

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

Gwen gasped for breath as she felt herself awaken. Her limbs were sore as she tried to move but when she remembered what happened a surge of adrenaline allowed her to try and open her eyes.

'The one good thing about watching so many zombie movies, you know what you have to do to stay alive.' She thought.

But she might not be able to say the same for all of the others. She knew Duncan might survive, even though she wouldn't mind hearing him scream. The rest of first cast didn't seem too interested in horror movies except for Izzy and she didn't know enough about the new cast to say they might make it through. She sighed as she stood back up, knowing that staying here would be a death wish and continued forward, not caring that she didn't know where she was going, she just needed to keep moving if she wanted to stay alive. The sound of groaning, crying, and shouting reached her ears as she tried to sit up.

"Gwen!"

She barely had the chance to blink as Bridgette grabbed and pulled her into the tightest hug Gwen had ever felt.

"Thank God you're all right!" Bridgette cried, holding Gwen as if she was some form of life line. "Are you okay?"

"I think so..." Gwen slowly replied. "Was I...bitten?"

"No!" Bridgette shook her head. "One of the new guys, Brick pulled you away from the zombies and carried you back to us!"

"H-Heather..." Gwen asked, slightly surprised she would feel concerned for someone she had hated.

Bridgette shook her head sadly. "She didn't make it."

Gwen could only remain silent as Bridgette tried to comfort her, feeling nothing but sorrow over someone she had hated but had tried to save.

"Did we lose anyone else?"

Bridgette looked like she was about to break down and cry as she released Gwen and allowed her to see everyone else.

"No..." Gwen gasped, tears falling from her eyes. "...DJ..."

DJ's body was amongst the dead, his body torn open and it was almost impossible to tell it was him. What told Gwen that it was DJ was the white hat that was still on his head.

"...Beth..."

Beth was face down on the floor, her foot hanging over another dead body showing that she tripped over it as she tried to run. Her neck has been mauled with blood spilling out, bites marks all over her skin and clothes.

"..Owen..."

Bite marks were seen all over Owen's body but he was already dead which might as well be a small comfort since he didn't have to suffer the pain of cannibals eating his flesh. Izzy was kneeling next to him, staring at his dead eyes with a blank look.

"...LeShawna..."

Harold was sitting over LeShawna's body as tears fell down his face. Gwen wanted to cry with him as one of her best friends were now dead. LeShawna's eyes were open and lifeless with her neck torn open by teeth.

"Why?"

One of the new contestants, Stacie lied face down on the floor with blood coming out of her neck.

"...Lindsay..."

Tyler was cradling Lindsay, whose body looked horribly mangled as he cried.

"...Sierra..."

Cody was kneeling next to Sierra who had a massive tear in her neck and blood has spilled out onto the ground her.

"Sadie..."

Katie was hugged the body of a dead Sadie who was covered in blood, scratches, and bite marks with her eyes wide and lifeless.

"Why?"

Cody had come over to check on her and she saw Sierra behind him, lying face down on the floor in a puddle of blood, his face was stained with blood and tears. Gwen also spotted another one of the new guys, Scott lying on the ground with horrible bite marks all over his body with the flesh literally torn out.

"Gwen?"

She looked up and saw Trent crouch down next to her. "Are you okay?"

"...I'll live." Gwen could only say as she stopped looking around.

The sight of so many dead bodies had left her sick, distraught, and she had to take several deep breaths to keep herself from throwing up. As she got up Cody lunged at her and hugged her tightly. Gwen managed to keep herself from falling over and hugged him back.

"How many did we lose?" Gwen whispered.

"DJ, Beth, Lindsay, Heather, Stacie, Scott, Justin, Owen, Sadie, LeShawna, Chef Hatchet, and... Sierra." Cody replied, hesitantly at the last part.

Gwen nodded and hugged him tighter.

"She saved my life when one of them tried to bite me." Cody said, guilt heard in his voice. "And one of them managed to get her while she saved me."

"It's okay..." Gwen patted him on the back. "She did it so you could live. It's not your fault, it was those...things."

Cody didn't reply, he just hugged her tightly. Gwen looked at Trent and Bridgette who looked on with sympathy and sadness.

"Where are the guards? Where's Chris?" Gwen asked.

"The guards are all dead and Chris..." Trent frowned. "The bastard ran off and left us."

"What?!" Gwen looked up with a shocked and angered look. "He ditched us?!"

"I saw him running and he wasn't seen among the dead." Trent explained.

Gwen was thinking of a thousand things to say what she would do to Chris the next time she saw him but now was not the time for that.

"We need to get out of here." She simply said.

"What about the others? Should we leave them like this?" Cody pulled away from her.

"I don't want to, really I don't Cody. But how long do we have before more of those zombies show up?" Gwen sighed sadly. "We can't carry them with us. We can only hope that after we get out of here we can call for help and come back for the bodies."

They didn't want to agree with her, even she didn't want to agree with her own advice but they all understood what she meant.

"AH!"

They looked up and watched as Beth sat up, groaning and looked around with a glazed look in her lifeless blank eyes. Katie crawled back as Sadie began to stand up and soon enough all the people who died were standing up, groaning and moving like the zombies. Alejandro who had been mourning Heather's death watched as she stood up and advanced towards him with a hungry moan. Izzy watched as her dead boyfriend stood up, even though his skin was torn open revealing his ribcage and he slowly limped towards her.

"No..." Cody said as he watched Sierra stand up and stare at him. "Not them too."

Gwen could only wince as she picked up the club she had used before, struggling to keep her emotions under control. "I'm sorry, everyone."

As LeShawna approached her Gwen raised her club and swung it...

Xxx

Outside of Philadelphia, on a cliff covered in grass with a tree overlooking the city a portal opened a few feet from the tree. Pein stepped out followed by Terra, Danielle, and Envy.

"Man that was something new." Terra said as she looked over the city. "Not a bad view though."

"That was something." Danielle sighed when she was back.

"Next time, I'll just go the old fashioned way." Envy shook his head as he glared at Pein.

"Like I said, Envy, it was the fastest way here." Pein shrugged as he looked over the city. "Can't get any closer without popping out in sight of anyone. Plus I don't know where Membrane's lab is supposed to be."

"Can't be that hard to find, a place surrounded by reporters looking for a story and police making sure no one gets in." Terra said. "I've never been here before. It's bigger than any city I ever visited."

"Well, time to get to work." Pein turned to Danielle. "Danielle, ready for the first part?"

"What do we do?" Danielle asked, surprisingly eager to do her part.

"You can find the complex faster than any of us since you can fly plus you can turn invisible so no one sees you. Considering what Terra said it wouldn't be hard for you to spot it from the sky." Pein said.

"What about Envy? Can't he shape shift into a bird and fly with Danielle?" Terra asked.

"Unless Envy can keep up-which I doubt any normal bird he can turn into could we might just have to rely on Danielle," Pein replied with a shrug, "No offense to Envy of course."

"Whatever." Translation: none taken.

"All right." Danielle stepped back and transformed.

The white rings travelled up her body but strangely enough her cloak didn't disappear when her transformation was complete. It was the same as before only now the red clouds were white and the red interior was also white. She took the chance to examine her cloak before she floated into the air and flew over the city. She turned invisible while she was flying to make sure no one saw her as she looked down.

It wasn't hard to spot the Membrane complex, it was a very large building surrounded by police cars and reports. She quickly flew back to the cliff where her friends were waiting. She landed on the ground in front of them as she became visible again.

"That didn't take too long." Envy commented.

"It wasn't hard to find." Dani pointed straight at the city. "It's in the very center, surrounded by police and reporters."

"Good job, Danielle." Pein smiled at her which actually made Dani happy. "Next step, Gaia."

Gaia nodded as her right hand glowed yellow and the part of the cliff stood was lifted into the air.

"Whoa!" Envy exclaimed as the piece of earth began to fly towards the city.

"Danielle, could you make sure no one sees us?" Pein asked.

Dani nodded and placed her hands on the ground. The pieces of earth along with everyone on it turned invisible as Gaia flew them into the city. Envy whistled as they passed by the buildings, surprised by how much things had changed. Following Danielle's directions they saw the Membrane complex, completely sealed to keep anyone from getting in and the virus from getting out.

"Looks like there's no way in." Envy commented.

"No way for an ordinary human to get in." Pein replied which made Envy smirk.

Dani turned the rock and everyone on it intangible as Gaia flew towards the sealed building and passed through the wall. They came out of the other side into the massive mall inside the building that looked for lack of a better word...trashed. Envy whistled at the destruction as Gaia landed the rock on the ground. Dani cancelled her invisibility ability making everyone visible again as the hopped off the rock and onto the ground.

"Wonder what mayhem went on in here." Envy observed the destruction and noted several dead bodies that looked like a rabid animal had mauled them to death and feasted on leftovers.

He couldn't help but cringe and turn away from the bodies. Only Gluttony was that messy with anyone or anything he ate. Zombies that had spotted them began limping towards them with their mouths open and dripping blood.

"I take back what I said; these guys are uglier than anything Father could have made." Envy commented as zombies came at them from all sides.

Pein pulled out a kunai and stabbed a zombie in the head as it tried to bite him. Terra pulled out a kunai of her own and threw it a zombie, impaling it through the head. However it also had an explosive note attached to it that exploded a second later taking out any zombie near it. Envy punched a zombie that lunged at him in the face with enough force that its head went flying off.

He then kicked another zombie in the chest and its torso flew off.

"These things have weaker bodies than humans, even a kid could take them out." Envy commented.

His hands morphed into swords and he started cutting up any zombie that tried to attack him. Dani was surprised at first but started firing ghost rays at any zombie that tried to attack her, knowing that they already dead and there was nothing she could do about it. The fight attracted the attention of more zombies as more of them appeared in all directions to eat.

**"Shinra Tensei!" ** Pein shouted and all of the nearby zombies were hit by an invisible force so hard that their bodies shattered as they flew back.

"Wow!" Dani was still surprised by Pein's powers.

"I know." Gaia smirked.

"You can be impressed later." Pein looked around.

His Rinnegan scanned the mall they were in, picking of signs of movement from almost every floor. He could see living signatures of survivors while the zombies had a black substance insider their bodies.

"There are survivors scattered throughout all floors. I can see the zombies walking around, looking for food or whatever it is zombies do." Pein spoke up. "Let's split up, travel in groups of two take a floor and look for survivors. They might have information on what happened."

"Right!" Gaia nodded.

"I'll stick around here." Envy replied.

"You sure it's a good idea to just split up like this?" Dani looked worried.

"It's okay, if you don't want to split up you can come with me." Pein smiled at her. "Besides, your abilities will really come in handy here."

"How?" Dani asked as they started walking.

"If a virus like this one was being stored here there was obviously a lab somewhere around her. If there are no survivors then the next best place would be that lab." Pein explained. "You can probably find it faster than any of us."

"Oh…okay." Dani shyly nodded.

"Don't worry about the others; they can take care of themselves. What's important here is looking for people who need help." Pein looked around. "My Rinnegan can see survivors on the floors, hiding from these monsters."

"Then I guess me and Envy will take the ground floor." Gaia said, glancing at Envy who simply shrugged.

"Whatever. Let's go." Envy said as he started walking.

Gaia frowned but walked after him. They walked around a corner and right into the middle of a gang of zombies.

"Get out of our way!" Gaia threw her arms up and a wall of earth erupted from the ground.

She thrust her arms forward and the wall flew forward, slamming into most of the zombies like bowling pins.

"Nice!" Envy grinned as he stepped forward.

A zombie tried to bite him but he changed his arms into blades and sliced it apart. "Pathetic."

"You really enjoy this don't you?" Gaia commented.

"They're dead; I don't think they're going to complain. Besides I'm not the sensitive kind." Envy glanced at her with a smirk. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Gaia raised an eyebrow.

"You don't seem to have any qualms of getting your hands dirty so why are you bothering me about it? Is it because you still hope those Titans will forgive you or that you cling to the image of that super hero you pretended to be?" Envy smirked. "The feeling of betraying someone who sees you as a friend and comrade, its indescribable isn't it? You just can't shake that feeling off, it stays with you for the rest of your life and soon enough you make a living out of it."

Terra frowned. "And who are you to ask that? You lied, murdered, and toyed with humans for over four hundred years. I read about you too you know. And you know what I always wondered something..."

"What's that?"

"What is it about humans that you're jealous off?" Gaia suppressed a grin at the small look of surprise on Envy's face.

"What makes you think I'm jealous of humans?" Envy quickly covered his surprise with a smirk. "You fight and squabble over the most pathetic things ever, you enjoy taking revenge because you feel it's your right to do so when someone has wronged you, and you have no qualms about stepping on anyone else to do so. So what should I be jealous of?"

"Your name, it implies your jealous and you go on and on about stupid and weak humans are. That pretty much gives away that there's something about humans that makes you jealous and that's why you go out of your to torment them." Gaia continued, thanking Naruto for the little talk.

Xxx

_Flashback_

_"Why is Envy my partner?" Terra asked._

_She along with Naruto were sitting in the middle of the forest with Terra wearing a simple grey tank top and shorts that she wore for her training today. Naruto wore a simply white T-short with a spiral and blue pants._

_"What's wrong with him?" Naruto asked._

_"I know I should be used to him by now but the guy comes off as a complete asshole. He likes making fun of everyone, even when they are not talking to him, he brags of how useless humans are, and he explodes over the simplest thing!" Terra snapped. "Just what is that guy's problem?!"_

_"I thought you would have figured it out by now." Naruto sighed._

_"Figured what out by now?" Terra asked, looking slightly confused._

_"Do you know what the emotion envy means?"_

_"Jealousy." Terra answered simply._

_"So why do you think he has that name?" Naruto continued._

_"He's...jealous?" Terra asked slowly._

_"Jealous of what and who?" Naruto asked._

_"What's with all the questions?" Terra threw hands up into the air. "Why are you messing with me?!"_

_"I'm not." Naruto innocently said as he held up his hands. "I'm just asking a simple question and letting you try to figure it out."_

_"Why do you need me to figure it out when you have all the answers?" Terra pointed at him accusingly._

_"Is it too hard for you to figure out?" Naruto smirked as he ducked under a punch._

_"Stop screwing with me!" Terra growled._

_"I'm not!" Naruto stepped back. "For someone who's complaining about a comrade's temper you have an impressive one yourself. If you want to know so badly though the answer to the question is how Envy acts. Who does he act so scathingly towards?"_

_"...Everyone." Terra answered._

_"Really? He picks on animals too?" Naruto asked. "Come on, Terra. You've heard him make insults all the time. What's the one thing he never gets tired of insulting?"_

_"...Humans!" Terra realized._

_"There you go my cute little rock princess!" Naruto smiled at the annoyed look Terra's face. "If he insults humans all the time and his name implies jealousy that means...?"_

_"He's jealous of humans? But why? What do humans have that he'd be jealous of? He's virtually immortal, he can regenerate from any wound, he can shape shift. What does he have to be jealous of?" Terra asked._

_"That's a very good question." Naruto tilted his head slightly. "What do humans have that he does not?"_

_"Does have to do with why he's my partner? I'm not jealous of anyone." Terra pointed out._

_"Really? Did you have anything to be jealous about before we met?" _

_It took Terra moment to think it over. "I used to be jealous of anyone I knew who had a home, family, and friends without fear of losing control...that's what Envy is jealous of? He's jealous of that? Why? Didn't he have a family with the other Homunculi?"_

_"Doesn't sound like it if you've been listening to his story. He never speaks off them like his family and given what I've learned the Homunculi never acted like a real family. Envy's jealousy comes from the fact that humans can come together, even though great odds and it angers him that the Homunculi never truly cared for each other like that." Naruto explained._

_"So what does this have to do with me?" Terra asked. "You pair with me with him because I've been jealous before?"_

_"Yes, you know the feelings he has and your powers can keep him from going overboard plus it acts a counter to his powers." Naruto nodded. "It may seem hard but if there is a way to show Envy he doesn't have to always be jealous he first needs someone to understand him and his jealousy. Eventually he may realize there is a chance to get what he wants but that will take time and patience."_

_Terra thought it over and found little reason to argue with him even if Naruto was the one she wanted as her partner. "All right, but if he pisses me off too much I will bury him in an avalanche."_

_"Deal." Naruto laughed._

_End Flashback_

Xxx

"Ha! If anything humans should be jealous of me." Envy retorted with smirk.

"Really? Now why would I be jealous of you? A man who likes to wear short skirts? Please." Gaia scoffed. "You go out of your way to put humans down if for no other than to just spite them, something jealous people like to do. You go on and on about dumb, weak, and stupid humans are yet there is something about us that really pisses you off. Something we have that you don't."

Envy's eyes hardened as he scowled at her.

I guess that's what makes us so similar."

"Hmm?" Envy tilted his head in confusion.

"I was always jealous of the Titans and normal people. They could surround themselves with friends and they had no fear of losing control of their powers." Gaia looked down at her hands. "They have a place to call home, friends they can count on for support, and they can control their powers without hurting anyone. Me...I'm supposed to control the Earth but I always did so much damage that I couldn't stay in one place. That was until Naruto helped me and that's why I stay with him because he needs help, after all he's found himself in a new world with his friends and family all gone."

"So what? Are you crushing on the guy?" Envy smirked. "Is that why you still hang out with him?"

Gaia scowled. "And what about you, Envy? No one asked you to stay even after Naruto restored your body. You could have taken off with those stones and left us but you stayed and even trained with us."

"Survival of the smartest." Envy shrugged as he turned around. "Nothing more. I'm an immortal, even if I die I can always be brought back because there will always be someone stupid enough to try to use alchemy, science, magic or whatever you now call it to call upon power and immortality. We Homunculi were born to be better than humans with superior knowledge, strength, and the ability to life forever. The only thing I need is to figure what I'm supposed to do now without Father or a place without alchemy that can kill me. There's no other reason why I'm hanging out in this group."

"Liar." Gaia said as they started walking again. "You've learned enough about what things are like now that you could have left but you even decided to join up with us, working with us humans and helping us. Plus there are heroes out there who could beat you, even if they don't kill you. I think I know why too."

"And what's your deduction?" Envy glanced at her.

"...Because no one wants to be alone. It's a terrible feeling, even if someone is a loner. Naruto said we should always look for what makes us similar and I think the similarity between us is that we including Danielle are alone and that's why we prefer to stay. Naruto offered to help us, give us a home, a life, and he never forced us to join this organization he's making. That's something you and I haven't experienced a lot." Gaia kept on walking while Envy stopped for a second, staring at the back of her head. "You were created by your Father to be a weapon and he never cared if you died, only if you fulfilled your purpose while Slade trained me as what he called his apprentice but in reality he just wanted me to fight his battles for him and he had no qualms about leaving me to die or to make me his puppet. Our masters never cared about us and treated us like we were worthless and would have discarded us if we were no longer useful. So why have we decided to join up with this group? It's because we were given a choice, a chance to have a new life, and a chance to see if we can become something more."

Gaia stopped and smiled back at Envy. "That's what makes us so similar, a pair of thugs who got lost and ended up here. It's really exciting and scary isn't it? Something entirely new and we don't know if we can handle it or if it's possible for us to be any different than what we were before. I want to see if I can change for the better. Do you think you can?"

She turned around and continued walking, not caring if she got an answer or not. "Let's try and have a good time at least for a little while."

Envy just stared at her back before he resumed walking to catch up.

'For a human she's more enlightened than I gave her credit for. Maybe this whole group thing won't be such a drag.' Envy thought.

It certainly made things interesting.

Xxx

It was over and yet Gwen felt like she had been the one who killed them.

When the dead bodies started to move Gwen had been the first to react and used the club she had taken from the dead security officer to do it. Gwen stared at the bodies of the people she had killed...

'No. They were already dead.' Gwen desperately thought to herself.

The sight of LeShawna, Lindsay, Beth, and DJ made Gwen want to scream, cry, and puke all at once the most. They had been among the closest friends she had left and she had just been forced to bash their heads in with the bloodstained club she had dropped to the floor. Out of the corner of her eye she had watched as Jo had finished off Justin and Scott while Eva had done the same to Sadie and Heather. Katie had let out a loud scream as she tried to stop Eva but Geoff had held her back while Alejandro just stood and watched as Heather's head was smashed apart and her dead body fell over. Izzy had been the one to finish off Owen and she seemed like she was frozen in time, staring at Owen's body.

Trent had been the one to finish of Sierra and he looked at Cody who couldn't even look at what remained of the fan girl. All of them were dead, their bodies infected by whatever it was that made everyone else into 'them'. Gwen couldn't take it anymore, she could barely stand but she was determined to not break down in anguish. Bridgette quickly wrapped her arms around the goth and pulled her away, turning her away from all the carnage in an attempt to comfort her.

"It's okay, Gwen. It's all right." She whispered over and over.

Was it all right?

"We got to move now!" Everyone turned and faced Alejandro as he spoke up. "We cannot stay here so let's go!"

"And where should we go?" Geoff pointed out. "The doors are sealed man!"

"We find another way out, we blow the entrance out, we do SOMETHING!" Alejandro shouted. "Let's just go!"

"Will you shut up?!" Gwen spun and shouted, earning everyone's attention. "Do you _want_ them to hear us?!"

Alejandro glared at her and Gwen felt that it was possible that he was blaming her for Heather's death.

"We can't stay here but if we keep shouting like this more of them will come. Just because they're dead doesn't mean they can hear or smell us." Gwen continued.

"She's right." Harold spoke up, struggling to take his mind off LeShawna. "Judging from what we have seen they are guided by possibly scent and sound. The louder we speak the higher the possibility more of them will come."

"So we go real quiet like, let's just go!" Alejandro said harshly.

"And go where?" Gwen asked, her voice turning steel. "The Mall is locked down, the door sealed shut and none of us have a key on us."

"It's true. Without access to the main security system we're locked in here." Cam pointed out.

"So we're stuck here?" Zoe replied tearfully as she clung to Mike.

"We need a place to hide out and wait for help to come." Cam replied.

B nodded and gestured to the shops.

"B says we can hide out in one of the shops and close the gate so they won't get in." Dawn translated.

"And how we do know any place in this mall is safe?" Courtney asked, standing next to Alejandro. "Just because it's been locked down doesn't mean there's not a way out."

"And where should we look? You so sure there's way out why don't you tell us?" Duncan asked, earning a nasty glare from Courtney. "We just bust open the door and get out of here!"

"That's a stupid move that'll get everyone here and outside killed." Gwen remarked. "You'll lure them to the front door and let them out onto the streets. Did you even hear of what happened in Raccoon City?"

"Those were rumours!" Duncan retorted.

"Doesn't mean they weren't real and it doesn't mean that the so called virus that did all that is not the same as the infection that made them all like this." Gwen picked up her club. "It also means that the reason why this happening is because someone must have released the virus here."

"We could be infected!" Cam gasped.

"Not likely. If the virus was airborne we'd likely all be like them by now but it is also possible our immune system can handle the virus while it's airborne but when its transferred by a bite or ingested through the mouth the virus spreads through the body." Harold replied.

"So what do we do?" Mike asked.

"We find the lab." Gwen replied.

"And do what?" Alejandro crossed his arms.

"If there's a lab here there might be a way to call for help. Our cell phones were confiscated before we came in so if we want to call for help and the lab where this virus was stored ought to have something." Gwen explained.

"You want to go all the way to some hidden lab just to call for help?" Alejandro asked and then held up his hands. "Your funeral. Anyone who wants to go with this chick and risk a painful death go right ahead, just remember she'll run and leave you to die. It's not like you can count on her to keep you alive just because she watches horror movies, she just wants a bunch of body bags to act as her human shields."

"Go to Hell." Gwen said as she turned and started walking.

"Wait a second!"

Gwen turned around as B stepped forward and walked up to her, giving her a few hand signs that told her he wanted to help.

"You sure you want to come?" Gwen asked.

B nodded.

"Me too!"

Eva stepped forward followed by Jo, Dawn, Brick, Harold, Izzy, Mike, Zoey, and Tyler.

"Why?" Gwen asked.

"You actually have an idea and you don't plan on hiding like a coward." Jo replied.

"A dangerous mission like this will require help. Cadet Brick offers his service!" Brick saluted.

"I believe it's better to try and find help rather than hide." Dawn replied.

"Yeah, you actually want to help us." Mike said. "So in my book that's good enough for me."

"If that's okay." Zoey agreed.

"And I need to go and make sure Lindsay's..." Tyler looked at the body of his girlfriend. "I need to make sure she can get a proper a burial."

"Izzy shall avenge her bloated honey!" Izzy shouted.

"I believe I might know where the lab is."

Gwen nodded. "All right, let's get moving."

"Well in the meantime we'll find the way out of here." Alejandro said, gesturing to everyone else. "Have fun dying."

"You can do what Gwen asked and take your heartless ass to Hell." Bridgette stepped forward. "We don't know if your way is less dangerous but I'd rather take my chances her than you."

"Bridge, what are you doing?" Geoff asked.

"I'm going with her because she's got a good point, plus there are a lot of people who need our help!" Bridgette replied. "You're not coming?"

"...I can't. There's nothing we can do to help. We got to get out of here and fast!" Geoff shook his head. "Sorry, Bridge. I ain't coming along if you're going."

Bridgette looked heartbroken that Geoff decided not to help her. After everything they had been through he would just decide not to come with her because he was scared. She should understand but there was a small part of her that was heartbroken.

"Fine, I can't change your mind. But I believe this is best way to go." Bridgette stood next to Gwen.

"Me too." Trent stepped forward.

"Wait for me." Cody followed him.

"Guys." Gwen looked at everyone who joined her. "There's no guarantee that we're going to make it."

"No guarantee in any direction we go Gwen. You at least have a plan." Trent said with a smile.

"And you want an excuse to catch her on the rebound." Duncan commented.

"You can go with Alejandro to Hell too, Duncan." Trent glared at Duncan. "I always knew you were a snake."

"Come on, we got to move now." Gwen said, breaking up the fight before it even happened. "Harold, where do you think the lab is?"

"Well, since this the mall section of the complex, logically the best place for the lab would be down in a basement. If it was up here there'd be no room for all the shops and a basement can better guarded with more security cameras, air tight doors, and more guards." Harold reasoned.

"All right, we just need a way down into the basement." Gwen nodded. "We all ready?"

Everyone in her group nodded and with that they were off into what could be seen as the last adventure of their lives.


	9. Ghost's Remorse, Sin's Rebirth

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

A kunai flew through the air and impacted a zombie in the head, instantly killing it for good. Pein and Dani walked pasty it with Dani staring at the corpse for a second.

"You've never seen something like this before have you?" Pein asked as he stopped walking.

"No...It's...it's just that it's hard to tell what they have become after they're..." Dani started.

"It's all right that you feel that way. It's important that you feel that way, keeps you from becoming heartless." Pein replied.

"How is it that you can do this? The other super heroes, the Justice League, even Danny would say what you are doing is murder." Dani looked up to Pein.

"There is a difference between the two. Murder is taking the life of an innocent who had done nothing to warrant such a fate while killing may be seen as distasteful but it becomes necessary in situations where you and anyone precious to you is in danger. The League and the heroes say killing should be avoided all times possible and they are not wrong but at the same time how can they allow people like the Joker, Two-Face, and other monsters to continue their rampage? The good guy catches them, they are sent to an asylum where they are supposedly cured by a man with a clipboard saying that he's their friend only to escape and continue where they left off and endanger dozens of innocent people." Pein explained. "It's not about killing that makes you a monster, it can happen by accident or in self defence. It's if you choose to simply kill over and over until it's become your life. Death comes for us all but it's how you live and if you follow the path you choose for the right reason."

Danielle wasn't sure if she was going to fully understand but Pein had explained it to her in a way that left her with little subjects to argue on.

"Do not worry, though Danielle. I am not expecting you to kill someone to be part of the group. I have no such expectations of you, I only want to help you live your life however you choose." Pein smiled. "But in the meantime we have to find the source of this infection and find out who was responsible for this. And I think I know how you can help."

"How?" Dani asked.

"The time it takes to search this mall will be too long and any evidence leading to the perpetrators. Even I can't search this place if I know idea where the lab is but you can move faster." Pein explained.

"I can go intangible and go through the place and lead you down there." Dani finished.

"Can you do this?" Pein asked.

Dani smirked as she transformed into her ghost form with her hair turning white, her eyes turning bright green, and like before her cloak didn't vanish and changed along with her. The red clouds were now white with black outlines and the interior was white instead of red.

"This is odd. How come this stays with me when I change?" Dani examined her cloak.

"That's something even I have no answer for." Pein shrugged.

Dani shook her and phased through the ground, concentrating on her mission.

'Let's see...If I was the guy in charge where would I put the lab?' Dani thought as she landed on the ground floor. 'Can be up here, the mall wouldn't have this many shops if the lab was up here so it has to be...down below in some kind of basement!'

Dani turned intangible and phased through the ground, waiting patiently to find something. Her patience was rewarded as she phased through a ceiling and landed on the ground. She looked around, taking notice of the lack of lights in the dark hull. She held up her hand and a small ball of bright ectoplasm lit up the hall.

She winced as she spotted blood among the floor and walls as she walked forward. Keeping herself on guard Dani wondered just why the lab would harbour a virus like the one Terra had described. She wondered if the Guys in White had a virus against ghost and were planning to test it on her if the others hadn't saved her. She shuddered but pushed those thoughts aside as she came upon what looked had been a door that had been destroyed by a grenade.

She was about to step through the door but she stopped when she heard a sound. Out of the darkness beyond the door came a group of zombies dressed as scientists.

"AH!" Dani jumped back as one of them lunged at her.

On pure instinct she fired a ghost ray that slammed into its head and it exploded. Dani gasped as it fell, realizing what she had done. She had no time to consider it though as the other zombies stepped over the corpse and tried to attack her. Dani gulped as she raised her hands and fired her ghost rays, blasting the zombies apart.

There was nothing she could do to help them. They were already dead, killed by the virus that was in the lab. It killed them and made their bodies attack and kill any living thing nearby. That's what she tried to tell herself but to be honest she didn't even think, she just acted on instinct. Only after the final body fell was when Dani had realized what had happened.

She stared at the corpses with blood splattered across the floor and then down at her hands.

'I...I killed them...No wait...they were already dead...that virus did this to them. It turned them into this! But it still looks...' Dani shook her head. 'No, it was just their bodies I killed. They are dead while the virus controlled them and had them kill innocent people.'

She couldn't help but feel the guilt fester in her conscious even if there was nothing she could have done to save them.

'Naruto said that to murder is to spill the blood of the innocent while killing is to make sure that the person never commits another crime. I just did that even if it's just the bodies I killed. Would Danny understand this or would he call me a killer?' Dani started to shake. 'Would he suck me in a thermos and toss me into the Ghost Zone or lock me in a lab?'

The thought of being exiled into the Ghost Zone or locked up terrified Danielle. She thought it over and over and couldn't find an answer.

'I...I can't think about this now. I need to find the lab and find out what happened.' Dani thought, needing a distraction.

Ever since that time Vlad had tried to melt her down and her time with the Guys in White Dani had a instinctive fear of laboratories, remembering what had happened to her before. She had to suppress the urge to turn intangible and fly away as fast as she could as she stepped inside. It looked like a regular laboratory except there was a giant tank at the end of the large room with writing on it.

WARNING: T-VIRUS CONTAINMENT UNIT

**DO NOT OPEN**

"This is where the virus came from." Dani momentarily forgot her phobia of labs as she spotted the large tank.

"Uh..."

She spun around, ready to fight what she thought was another zombie but it looked like one of the scientists, an elderly man with a slightly bald head and gray hair leaning against the table. She spotted blood falling from his side, from a wound his right hand was pressed against. When she realized he was not a zombie she ran over to his side.

"Are you all right?" She asked as she put his arm over his shoulder.

"No...the virus..." The man pointed to the tank.

He groaned as he fell to his knees and Dani quickly found a chair for him to sit on.

"What happened?" She asked as she helped him onto the chair.

"Mercenaries, they came in when one of them disguised himself as one of us...they blew the door open and shut down the safety protocols." The man explained, grunting in pain. "They killed everyone else when they released the virus."

"What about you?" Dani asked, pointing out that he was not dead or infected.

"Yeah...I add a vaccine with me at the time but it's no good. The effects are temporary because I was shot when the virus was released into the lab. It's probably in my blood now and the vaccine will only work for twenty four hours." The scientist explained. "They wanted to release the virus and blame Membrane for the accident."

"Why?" Dani asked, unable to understand why someone would do such a thing.

"I don't know...they never said who their client was." The scientist shook his head. "It could be anyone from the disbanded Umbrella Corporation, terrorists hoping to spread fear and panic, a greedy bastard who wants to sell the virus on the Black Market, a rival who wants Membrane ruined, or just a psychopath . It doesn't matter at this point, all that matter is making sure no one infected leaves this place and containments the rest of the city."

"What do we do?"

"The security computer..." The scientist pointed at a console at the far end of the lab. "It contains all the recording on every security camera in the complex. It contains the proof that Membrane was not responsible for this. This must be taken to the public so they know it was not his fault and that he along with his family is not cast out as pariahs."

He pulled out a disk and handed it to Dani.

"What is this?" Dani looked over the disk.

"It's what's needed to make the vaccine. Take this to Membrane and perhaps he can find a way to make an antidote." The scientist explained.

Dani nodded as she put the disk in her pocket. "Right."

"The thugs that did this locked down the complex but they'll need a way out even if they have a vaccine or something to protect them. Find them and stop them before they can escape. The security cameras should help..."

"Thank you." Dani smiled.

"And there's one last thing I need you to do." The scientist said, looking Dani in the eye.

"What is it?"

The scientist reached up and put both his hands on Dani's shoulders. "...Kill me."

Dani's eyes widened in shock as she looked in the scientist's eyes and knew he was not kidding. "Why?"

"I cannot be saved. The virus in my blood will either kill me in twenty four hours or I'll die from blood loss and the virus will make me like _them_." The scientist explained sadly. "I don't want to suffer that fate and I can't allow my family to know that I was infected and turned into a monster. Please, let me leave this world on my terms."

Dani couldn't believe what was happening. She never thought she would find herself in a situation like this. She considered joining the Akatsuki just to have a chance to do some good and have a home because she didn't want to consider dropping in on Danny and becoming a burden to him. Naruto and the others were welcome to have her and they had no expectations of her, even allowing her to choose to never kill anyone, not even the people who deserved it. She stared into his eyes, seeing the desperate plea for help.

She shouldn't do it.

She shouldn't take a life but if she didn't and he became like _them_ than was she any better than a killer for letting him die like that and to turn into a zombie?

Who was she do decide how someone lives and dies?

She didn't want to take a life but...

'_It's not about killing that makes you a monster, it can happen by accident or in self defence. It's if you choose to simply kill over and over until it's become your life. Death comes for us all but it's how you live and if you follow the path you choose for the right reason.'_

Danielle was a lot younger than she looked, literally a toddler compared to anyone she knew. She wasn't born, she was created, she didn't have parents, she just had a single donor who supplied the DNA that made her and the man who created her tried to kill her, she never had a home to call her own and she never experienced the good that life could offer as much as a normal child did. She shouldn't have to deal with this so soon but she was and she had a choice to make.

Let the man suffer a horrible death or allow him a chance to leave this life on his own terms.

"Those hair, those eyes..." He seemed to notice for the first time. "Are you related to Danny Phantom?"

She watched as his hand came and softly grasped her hair.

"The resemblance in uncanny." He commented, examining her hair like it was more than just simple hair. "A twin sister?"

"No. I am nothing like that." Dani sadly shook her head. "I am nothing like Danny Phantom."

"Don't be like that. Taking a life to save someone from pain does not make you a monster. I understand...I'd never ask you to do this if I had the strength but I've lost a lot of blood so I can barely move." He released her hair. "It's a horrible choice for someone so young and no one should have this choice. There might be some poison or something around here.

"No..." Dani slowly raised her finger and pointed directly at his head.

She closed her eyes as she channeled a ghost ray through her finger.

"Thank you..."

She released the blast of ectoplasm from her finger and she heard the sound of the ghost ray going through his head. He didn't scream, he didn't gasp, he didn't utter a single sound as his body fell over. Dani fell to her knees as she changed back into her human form. She started to shake a little as a wave of nausea hit her. She had killed those walking corpses but she had never truly taken a life...

Until now.

She saw that smile on his face and wondered just why he would be so happy that he had her kill him.

'He couldn't do it on his own and the virus would have made him like _them._' She thought in her head over and over.

"Danielle?"

She looked back at the door and saw Pein... Naruto walk up to her with a concerned look on his face. "Are you all right?"

Dani didn't answer as Naruto knelt down next to her. She just reached out and latched onto him like he was some sort of lifeline. Naruto didn't ask why, he just held her tight as tears fell down her face.

"Wh-what have I done?"

This was something had seen before whenever a shinobi experienced their first kill. It was never easy and anyone who took a little too well they'd be recommended for a psyche exam. Naruto had expected this mission to be dangerous but he had been confident that Danielle would never have to find herself in a position where she had to kill someone, even if the person had asked for it. They didn't have time for this so he would have to make the time.

He placed his hand on her head. "Danielle..."

She looked up and watched as his Rinnegan eyes morphed into something else. They were now red with a strange pinwheel shaped pupil. The moment she looked into his eyes she suddenly felt like she was falling into darkness.

Xxx

Danielle didn't know what happened after but an instant later she was no longer in the lab. She looked around and was shocked when she realized where she was.

She was in Danny's house!

It looked exactly the same as it the last time she had been here which had been almost two years ago.

"Hey Danielle."

She turned around and saw Naruto sitting at the table, wearing casual clothing instead of his Akatsuki cloak.

"What is this? How are we here?" Danielle walked up to the table.

"It's another technique of mine; this one is recognized as the most powerful illusionary technique of my world. I cast it through my right eye upon eye contact with you and it allows me to alter the perception of time in the illusion to make it seem to last for says when in reality only a few seconds will pass. It is known as Tsukuyomi." Naruto explained. "Considering what you went through and depth of the situation I brought you here to help you cope with what happened. We have all the time in the world now to talk."

Danielle sat down at the table and looked down at her feet. "I killed him...He was going to die from his wounds or the virus and he wanted me...to make sure he didn't become like them."

Naruto nodded. "Here."

In front of her appeared a cup of tea.

"This will help calm your nerves."

"How can I drink something that's not real?" Danielle lifted the cup up.

"There's a reason I call this the most powerful illusionary technique of my world." Naruto smiled. "In here, anything is real as much as I want. Anything you see, hear, smell, feel, and taste is real because I decide it is real."

Danielle slowly sipped the tea, taking the taste in slowly. It tasted good and Danielle emptied the cup in a single gulp. She stared at it, unable to figure out how an illusion can be made to feel so real but she then realized she had seen and heard things that were labelled impossible for the last week.

"Danielle, I know how you feel and I honestly had no intention for this to happen to you. When I sent you to find the labs I didn't believe anyone would be left alive and I thought you'd return and lead me there. Taking a person's is life is not easy and it shouldn't ever be easy. Sadly where I come from its part of our lives and to be honest it's also a part of the life of a soldier, a police officer, and even a hero." Naruto started. "The weight you feel right now, it'll get easier but it's not something that goes away so I understand if you want to leave and find another place to life and be normal. I know you have been through more than one fight and I know you and your cousin never tried to kill anyone but in almost every fight the opponent will almost always try to kill you, even if it's not their intent. To hold back is make yourself vulnerable, no matter how powerful you really are and there always will be a situation, no matter how rare it is, where you will have to decide whether or not the life of the enemy is more important than the life who depends on you. That man, he asked you to end his life because if you didn't he'd become like them and he'd go on to hurt, kill, and injure anyone is still alive in the complex.

It may not feel as simple as it sounds but it's the truth no matter how cruel it sounds. People will always have a reason to fight, finding any reason they can to harm others. Thieves, thugs, rapists, terrorists, and super villains, these are all people who simply decide to use whatever advantage they have to steal, kill, and to fulfil whatever sick desire they have. People like the Justice League and the Teen Titans try to keep themselves above that level because they know killing is a crime, but they also do it to paint the image of themselves as heroes for good and justice so that the people will trust them to do what they do." Naruto was silent for a moment but then he smiled. "Just to let you know Danielle you didn't do anything wrong. You saved a man from a horrible fate and even better, you showed remorse. That's what makes you a human, not a killer. That makes me proud of you no matter what decision you make from here on out and it tells me that your cousin would not call you a monster. You stood tall when he asked you to kill him and cried when he died. My doors always open and I will be always be there to help if you need it. "

Danielle watched as he stood up and walked over to her.

"In the meantime, about I treat you to something. We have about seventy two hours before this technique dispels. We can go anyway here." He smiled as he held out his hand. "You could use a little break."

"Where can we go?" Danielle took his hand as she stood up. "It's just an illusion right."

"Yes, with a mere thought I can make it anything I want and I can think of a few places to show you that'll help take your mind of this." Naruto smiled.

Danielle had no idea of how right he was as Naruto altered the illusionary world to show his world and home. He showed her the village he grew up in, the places he explored, the people he had known, the battles he had witnessed and so much more. Danielle was overwhelmed with everything she had seen. So many people with the same powers as Naruto with some even surpassing her, Danny, and Vlad in ways she had never imagined. She was still with awe from so many places like a history channel while watching in battles in suspense like she was watching an action movie.

She witnessed the battles with his fellow classmates growing up, the struggles with Orochimaru, the original Pein, Obito, and Madara. She watched with rapt attention as the Jubi was awoken and the villains tried to use it to enslave the world in a permanent version of the illusion technique Naruto had used on her. Sasuke had joined to stop them but when Obito sealed the Jubi into himself he was too powerful and Sasuke was fatally wounded. As a last act to stop them once and for all to make them pay for manipulating the slaughter of his family he gave his Sharingan to Naruto through a special technique that transferred his eyes to their new host.

As Obito went on a rampage in a moment of desperation Naruto had managed to absorb and sealed the Jubi's chakra into his body where it merged with Kurama and became the Ten Tailed Fox. He became the true successor of the original Sage of the Six Paths and continued his battle with Madara and Obito. He had been victorious but as a last act of spite a dying Obito opened a space time portal that swallowed Naruto up and even though he had been trapped for what to him felt like a few seconds he found himself in an entirely new world. All of his friends long gone in a world that was completely forgotten and erased from history.

She couldn't believe what she had been witnessing but she knew, she just knew it was all true and that this young man next to her and had been through than she and most people she had known could have ever imagined. When the illusionary world faded and they were back in the lab Danielle had returned feeling different from before, the guilt was there but she understood why she did it and she felt like she had made peace with it.

"Danielle?" Pein stood before her and held out her hand. "We probably should get moving. It's not safe here and anyone left alive will need our help."

Danielle nodded as she took his hand and stood up. "Let's go."

"You okay?" He asked as they walked towards the exit.

"I feel a little better. At least..." Danielle replied as she looked back at the scientist. "He can rest in peace now."

Pein nodded as they walked out of the lab. "Do you know what happened?"

"Mercenaries. They infiltrated the lab and released the virus to try and frame the owner of this place for the accident. They left but he said that locked down the place so it's possible they have not left yet. I don't know how they plan to get out." Dani explained, with a hardened look. "But I can find them."

She changed back into her ghost form.

"I can move faster and be invisible. I'll track them down and find out what why they did this." She said.

"All right, but be careful and try not to let yourself be overcome by what has happened." Pein said. "What they have done is horrific but you cannot let your anger at this cloud your judgement."

"I understand." Dani nodded.

"If you see them, don't attack just yet. We need to know their agenda."

She floated up into the air and phased through the ceiling. She would not let them get away with this crime.

All the people...

Many of them could have been children...

All dead because of those monsters.

She may not kill them, but she was going to kick their asses when she found them. Before Pein left the lab he sealed the body of the deceased scientist into a scroll and then vanished into a distortion.

Xxx

The mall looked like it had been through a riot instead of a zombie attack. There were even a few small fires breaking out but fortunately there were not big enough to be a cause for concern. Bodies littered across the blood soaked floor, stores broken into by possible anyone with cash, electronics, and even toys missing.

"Hey look. There's a food mart up ahead." Gwen pointed ahead. "We can stock up on food supplies while we look for the lab."

"A good suggestion, if the food has not been infected." Harold pointed out. "If the virus was leaked out through the air vents there is a chance that any unshielded foot and liquid has been infected."

"Why not just go and find the lab?" Eva asked.

"We don't know where it is and we don't know how long it'll take to find and reach it. Chris never gave us a map and if we're going to be here a while we had at least can pick up some supplies." Gwen explained.

"That is a very good point." Brick nodded.

"All right, but we need someone to take watch." Jo said, holding up a pole. "I'll take watch and keep an eye out for those freaks."

Gwen noticed several bags of apples and grabbed the nearest one. The plastic bags and containers kept the fruit safe and hopefully kept them from being infected. Taking a single apple out of the bag she took a bite out of it and sat down at a table that had no blood or corpses.

"Are you okay, Gwen?" Bridgette sat next to her.

"What gives you the idea I'm not okay?" Gwen asked as she took another bite of her apple.

"It's just you've been...quiet ever since we came here. Sorry that we haven't talked a lot and I know could have used a friend after what happened with Duncan." Bridgette scowled at the mention of his name. "He had no right to do this to you and I know you never really wanted any of this to happen. Not even what happened with Courtney."

Gwen tossed her eaten apple into the nearby trashcan. "I'm sick of this show. I'm tired of being brought on to be humiliated on live TV just so Chris could make money off our suffering. Yes I was upset I'd have to see Duncan but to be honest its Chris and this show that's tired me out. I can live with Duncan hitting on other girls; he'll get a sexually transmitted disease sooner or later. I'll consider that payback, but I just want this show to be over so I can move on with my life."

Bridgette was silent as she listened to Gwen vent her frustration out. She had to admit she agreed with her gothic friend, she was sick and tired of this show even if her boyfriend loved coming back. Geoff was letting the fame get to his head again and she was worried he might cheat on her even if he said he never did.

"No one except Duncan and Cam ever keeps the money and to be honest sometimes I wonder if that money is somehow fake. No offence to Cam."

"None taken."

Both girls looked up and saw Cam holding a tray of food with a nervous smile on his face.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to listen." Cam quickly said.

"...It's fine." Gwen shook her head. "I wouldn't be surprised if Duncan already spent his money. On what, I don't want to know. This show...it brings out the worst in people for everyone to see and it follows you for the rest of your life with people making up their opinions without truly knowing you. Why does everyone want to be on this stupid show anyway?"

"I don't know. The possibility of glory and fame...I guess you never know how bad it is until you actually get it." Bridgette sighed. "It's a lot harder than we all imagined and I more than understand what you are thinking, especially with everything that has happened."

"And Chris left us to die, like I knew he always would someday." Gwen pulled out another apple. "That cheap bastard always did anything to keep his fame and money even if it meant killing someone, mostly us and his interns. And now, he's gone and left us in the middle of a real life zombie horror film."

"Good thing we got the expert with us." Trent said, sitting on the other side of the table while trying to sound optimistic.

Gwen shook her head. "I'm the one who suggested we go through zombie territory, risking the possibility of a horrible death just to find a lab that I don't know the location of to find help. You sure I'm the expert?"

"At least you're concerned about our health. Al doesn't give a damn about us; he'll run off at the first sign of trouble. The only person he actually did care about was...Heather." Trent said with a small hint of sadness at Heather's death.

No one liked her, except Alejandro, but even she didn't deserve to die like that. Gwen looked her in the eyes as she took her last breath and she wasn't sure she'd ever get that out of her head.

"The others are just scared." Trent continued. "They don't know what to do here and they're scared they'll end up like everyone else. It's good that someone can take charge."

Gwen smiled, happy that everyone hear thought she was reliable.

RING!

RING!

RING!

They all stood up as a loud ringing sound was heard throughout the cafe.

"What the hell is that?!" Gwen covered her ears.

"Look!" Bridgette pointed at the cashier counter.

Cody had accidently knocked a console down and it opened spewing money out.

"It wasn't me! It wasn't me!" He wailed.

"It's a burglar alarm! They're meant to go off if something tries to steal the money!" Harold realized.

"Who cares what it is?! It's going to bring those zombies here!" Jo shouted. "We got to get out of here!"

"I think it's too late." Gwen pointed at the entrance.

Already zombies were walking towards the cafe, hungrily groaning as they limped towards the teens.

"There's too many and we can't get by them!" Cody realized.

Xxx

"You hear that?" Terra asked as she and Envy turned in the direction of what sounded like an alarm.

"Yeah, sounds like someone might still be alive." Envy commented.

"Well come on, let's check it out!" Terra exclaimed and started running.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Envy called out, chasing after her.

"Come on! At this rate they'll be dead before we get to them!" Terra called back.

Xxx

"Come on, before anymore of those things show up." The Lead Mercenary said.

"I almost have it opened."

They were in front of a single door with a man typing at the console. He was hacking the security system to override the lockdown protocols.

"Where's the chopper?" The Leader asked.

"It'll be on the roof in five minutes." The mercenary that disguised himself as a scientist replied.

"Good. The sooner we're out of this hell hole the better." The Leader nodded.

The plan was finished, now all that was left for them was to leave before they were killed or infected. Little did they know was that someone was watching them. Dani was invisible, watching them as they tried to force open the door to the roof. She found them but she was listening like Pein said. These were mercenaries meaning they were hired by someone to do this and she wanted to know.

Xxx

The contestants who had left with Alejandro, consisting of Courtney, Duncan, Geoff, Lightning, Dakota, Sam, Ezekiel, Anne Marie and Katie simply walked down the mall towards the entrance, cautiously looking around for zombies as they walked. Geoff wondered if he made the right decision in going with Alejandro instead of siding with Gwen like Bridgette did. Duncan was right behind Alejandro with Anne Marie clinging to him, earning a disgusted glare from Courtney.

She didn't want to admit it but she almost preferred going with Gwen but she stuck close to Alejandro who was no do doubt upset about Heather's death.

"How far to the entrance?" Anne Marie asked, impatiently.

"Just a little longer." Was all Alejandro said.

Geoff wondered if Alejandro was even thinking straight or did the loss of Heather and the zombies mess him up.

"Eh...guys!" Ezekiel gasped.

In front of the entrance was a hoard of zombies, pushing against the doors to try and get out.

"We can't get out that way!" Alejandro growled.

"Dude, keep it down! They'll hear you!" Geoff whispered.

"MY APOLOGIES!" Alejandro spun and shouted. "HOWEVER WHEN YOU ARE BEING ATTACKED BY WALKING CORPESES YOU TEND TO GET A LITTLE EXCITED!"

Alejandro's voice was heard by about every zombie nearby and they turned towards the small group of contestants.

"Oh man!" Geoff gasped.

"Every man for himself! Later losers!" Alejandro took off running, pushing Courtney out of the way.

She fell onto the ground as Alejandro ran past her. "What about us?!"

There was no reply and Alejandro's actions brought zombies in all directions. Alejandro ran around a corner...

And right into the waiting arms of a zombie.

"AH!" He screamed as it wrapped its arms around.

He struggled to get out but its grip was too strong and let out a loud scream as it prepared to bite him.

"That bastard!" Duncan growled as zombies approached them from all sides.

"You were expecting him to stick around?" Geoff dryly asked.

"RUN!" Anne Marie shouted and took off running.

"Wait for me, eh!" Ezekiel ran after her, leaving everyone else to their fate as zombies surrounded them.

Geoff fought off a zombie while Katie hid behind Lightning, screaming in terror as the jock while Duncan took a leaf from Alejandro and Anne Marie's book and left them to fight off the zombie hoard.

"Come back here you coward!" Courtney shouted, chasing after him.

"Hey guys, help us out!" Geoff called out as he, Katie and Lightning were left.

"Lightning ain't afraid of no undead!" Lightning said, lunging forward.

"Lightning wait!" Geoff called out.

However the jock ignored him and ploughed his way through the zombies leaving Geoff and Katie alone to face the hoard surrounding them.

"I'm coming Sadie!" Katie closed her eyes.

However before the zombies could bite any of them there was a spinning sound as an object flew through the air and into the zombie crowd. The object sliced off the head of any zombie it came into contact with until it slammed into the wall, revealing to be a large shuriken with blood on its sharp ends. Pein stood on a floor above the teens, looking down the number of zombies he killed to save them.

"People are either selfish or selfless when it comes to survival. They either decide to abandon everyone else to their death or save as many as they can." He sighed.

He reappeared behind Geoff and Katie and before they could even look behind them they were sucked into his Rinnegan. He vanished and appeared in front of Anne Marie and Ezekiel and sucked them into his eyes before repeating the process with all the other fleeing teens. He then vanished and appeared in an alley outside of the mall where he released them all from his pocket dimension. He watched as the disorientated teens tried to understand what happened.

He left them to figure out what happened by themselves as he turned back towards the mall.

"Better go see how Gaia and Envy are holding."

He disappeared, not even making a sound.

Xxx

The cafe was alive with screams, shouts, groaning, and the sound of blood splattering everywhere.

"TAKE THIS!"

Jo kicked a zombie's head off with her foot and sent it flying towards another zombie, knocking it over.

"We got to get out of here!" Cody said, using a tray to block a zombie's attempt to bite him.

"There's nowhere to run!" Harold replied.

He was right as the zombies had completely surrounded the cafe, trapping the teens inside.

"We'll have to fight our way out!" Eva spoke up.

"We'll be slaughtered!" Trent pointed out.

"You've got a better idea?!"

"AH!"

Gwen spun around and gasped as Dawn found herself cornered with five zombies surrounding her. Gasping the metal pole Gwen jumped forward and bashed the one closest to Dawn on the head, sending blood and brain tissue flying everywhere.

"GO!" Gwen shouted.

Dawn nodded and ran behind B who was holding up a table and using it as a battering ram on the zombies. However as Gwen moved to attack her next target the other zombies grabbed her and she felt waves of pain as they sank their teeth into her.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Gwen let out a scream of pain and agony.

Not far from the fight Gaia and Envy had finally arrived, watching as the zombies overwhelmed the teens.

"We made it." Gaia sighed in relief.

"In time to see those kids get killed." Envy pointed at the cafe. "They're way too outnumbered to make it out of that."

"Not if they have some outside help." Gaia's eyes turned yellow.

The ground beneath the zombies outside of the cafe fell through. The fighting ceased as zombie and teen turned to see the two Akatsuki members walking towards as Gaia closed the ground, trapping the zombies who had fallen in.

Envy scoffed as he sent a zombie's head flying with his fist. "Pathetic."

Gaia used her powers and with a little extra concentration she lifted up pieces of metal scattered across the floor and launched them at the remaining zombies, piercing the heads of most of them which instantly killed them for good. The teens were wary of the newcomers, not knowing if they were friend or foe

"Oi! You going to just stare and gap at us all day?" Envy asked. "Is that any way to thank us for saving your lives? Or are you just going to stand around as your friend over their dies?"

"Oh my God, GWEN!" Bridgette cried out.

Gwen was on the floor with blood coming out large bite marks that had literally torn the flesh from her body. There was a big wound on her neck with blood pouring out while she was taking deep breaths. Bridgette was at her side in an instant with most of the others gathering around her.

"Hang on, Gwen! We'll get you some help!" Bridgette grasped Gwen's hand. "We have to do something!"

"We're too late. She's been bitten meaning she'll turn into one of them even if she doesn't die of blood loss." Harold sadly said.

"Don't...let...that...happen..." Gwen said between deep breaths. "Please...don't..."

She didn't want to be a zombie like anyone else who had been infected. She couldn't bear the thought of becoming like _them_.

"Can we do anything for her?" Gaia whispered to Envy.

"I ain't no doctor and you said there was no cure for this virus." Envy scoffed. "She's dead...unless."

"Unless what?" Gaia prodded.

Envy produced a container that held three vials. "You remember these?"

"Those stones...turn her into a Homunculus like you?" Gaia looked up with a shock look.

"Either that or she's dead." Envy shrugged. "Not much of a choice here."

"What will Pein say?"

"Say what?"

"Ah!"

The teens looked up as both Akatsuki members jumped in surprise as someone appeared behind them. Dawn shivered as she stepped back.

"What's wrong Dawn?"

"Those guys...their auras..." Dawn whispered.

The blond haired girl's aura was bright yellow and green showing warmth and compassion with the yellow representing great power. The man with the dark hair with green streaks had a dark aura with a hint of dark sickly green showing this man was filled with jealousy and animosity. But the third one, the young man with the strange eyes, his aura was mix of bright blue and gold with a hidden power seemed come off him in waves, engulfing everything around him. She was almost frozen in awe from the power she felt.

"Damn it, Pein! Could you not do that?!" Envy growled.

"Do what?" Pein raised an eyebrow with an amused expression.

Envy's eyebrow twitched. "Forget it. We saved this bunch here but one of them has got a shitload of bites on her and since none of us have any way to deal with the virus I suggested these."

Pein looked down at the vials containing the Stones of the other three Homunculi. "I see."

"Is there any other way?" Gaia asked.

"Sadly I do not see one. I don't have the same expertise in medical jutsu like some people I know yet and there might not be enough time." Pein sighed. "Envy's suggestion may be the only one that will save her."

"On it." Envy stepped forward.

"Hold it!" Trent stepped in front of Gwen. "Who are you and what do you plan to do to her?"

"You really going to stop me from trying to save your friend, dumb human? You have a choice here right now, let her die and become one of those walking corpses or let me try and save her with a little medicine of my own." Envy held up a vial labelled Lust. "What's it going to be, kid?"

Trent stared at Envy for a second but he was distracted by the gasping sounds of Gwen who was literally seconds away from death. He hesitantly stepped aside and allowed Envy and Pein to walk to Gwen's side. Pein pulled out a small bottle of ink as he lifted Gwen's shirt to show her stomach.

"What are you doing?" Envy asked.

"Just a little something for insurance." Pein pulled out an ink push.

He dipped it in the ink and proceeded to draw a seal on Gwen's stomach.

"Go ahead, Envy." Pein nodded.

"All right, little girl. Now listen carefully here, you'll just sit still and let me help you and if it works you'll live but you'll never be a normal ordinary human ever again. If not I can just crush your head and stop you from becoming like them." Envy said, looking Gwen directly in the eyes. "Those are your options and you've lost a lot of blood so make your decision quick."

Gwen took a deep breath, staring into Envy's violent eyes. She didn't want to die but she didn't know if whatever happened to her was any better.

"Tick Tock." Envy held up a finger. "Hurry if you don't want to die."

"O...K." Gwen whispered.

"I thought so." Envy smirked.

"This will save her?" Bridgette asked hopefully as Envy took the stone out of the vial.

"Well, there's a ten to one chance it'll work and even if it does your friend's life is changed forever." Envy held the stone over one of the large open wounds. "Either this or I could just kill her now and save her the agony of being one of them."

No one had the courage to speak or stop him as he dropped the stone into the wound.

As if it was like magic the stone turned into liquid and was absorbed into Gwen's body. Gwen started screaming and spasm as the substance entered her body and spread out, combating the virus and healing her wounds.

"AAAAAAAHHHH!"

"Gwen!" Cody and Trent cried out.

"What's happening to her?!" Bridgette shouted as she tried to hold Gwen.

The goth was pulling herself into a ball as she tried to block out the pain. She continued to scream as Bridgette held onto her as tightly as she could.

"I warned you and her, that there was a ten to one chance it would work." Envy shrugged, not bothered by the screams.

He had heard and seen it all before.

Gwen was in so much pain she blacked out but the last thing she saw the young man with bright orange hair and strange eyes place his hand on her forehead.

Xxx

Gwen didn't what happened to her but when she opened her eyes again she was not in the cafe with her friends around her as she lay on the floor dying from her wounds. She was now floating in a white void with no way of knowing how she got there.

"What is this?"

She looked up as a figure appeared in front of her. The figure resembled a beautiful woman with an hour glass figure and long wavy hair but that was the only thing Gwen could see. Its body was made of a dark red light with red glowing eyes and there was a symbol on the chest above its breasts.

"So you must be the host I was promised." The woman like figure said, its voice low and sultry.

"Lust."

Gwen looked behind her and saw the orange haired young man standing behind her.

"You know it only works if she agrees." Pein replied.

"Of course." Lust reluctantly nodded. "Silly me."

"What...what is going on?" Gwen finally asked. "Where am I?"

"In your mind." Pein replied, turning to her. "I apologize for this, I didn't want this to happen but unfortunately it is the only way to save you."

"What is?" Gwen asked cautiously.

"Envy injected you with a special stone that serves as the core of an artificial human called a Homunculus. Normally when this happens the stone would spread with the Homunculus trying to take over your body but I made Lust agree that she can only merge with you if you allow it. It was a drastic measure but there was no other way to save you. The power of the stone can eliminate the disease completely and heal your wounds." Pein explained.

"And what happens to me if I survive?" Gwen asked, trying to make sense.

"You would be still be you. I offer you my powers in exchange for allowing your body to become my host." Lust replied. "It's a fair exchange, I live here and you have all my powers. Granted it's a radical change but considering the circumstances these are about as fair as they can be."

"I am here to make sure Lust doesn't try to take your body by force." Pein nodded.

"And you are?" Gwen asked.

"Someone who is making sure this all remains your choice. I can remove Lust from you if you decide to not go through this." Pein replied.

Gwen looked between them. "Why are you here in the first place?"

"We came here to investigate what caused this accident and discovered that a band of mercenaries broke in and released the virus to blame the head scientist for this incident. One of my friends is tracking these mercenaries as we speak."

"You know who's responsible for this?" Gwen asked anxiously.

"We know who the people who released the virus are but we don't know who hired them." Pein shook his head.

"And you said you'd give me your power?" Gwen turned to Lust.

"Yes." Lust smirked, knowing where this is going.

"Then do it." Gwen stated.

"You sure you want this? There will be no turning back for you." Pein cautioned.

"Those people killed off dozens here, including a few good friends of mine. I want to make them pay." Gwen said with a hard look.

"Seems like we have an agreement." Lust remarked satisfied. "See, I can negotiate. So...shall we?"

Gwen was pulled towards Lust as a bright light opened up in the center of her body. That was all she remembered as she returned to the real world.


	10. Escape the Infection

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

Crimson eyes with slits as pupils opened up and stared at the gathered teens around her, watching as they gasped in shock by the transformation that had occurred. Gwen sat up, brushing bangs from her eyes as she looked around. She ran a hand through her hair which was now long and wavy with dyed blue streaks now hanging over her back.

"Gwen?" Cody asked nervously. "What happened?"

Gwen looked down at herself and noticed her hair was not only longer but her entire body had changed. She now sported an hour glass figure with her breasts now larger and threatening to bust out of her corset and above them was the symbol of the Ouroboros, the snake devouring its own tale. Her face was mostly the same but looked different, more beautiful and more woman like.

"Her aura..." Dawn whispered.

Gwen's aura had always been midnight blue meaning she kept personal feelings hidden from everyone but those closest to her. Now her aura had a shade of pink in it that was full of...lustful emotions.

"Welcome back to the living, Lust." Envy said, actually sounding happy to have one of his friends and fellow Homunculi back.

"...Envy." Gwen said, looking at the shape shifter. "I know you..."

"Bet you never thought we'd return." Envy remarked. "It's been a while hasn't it? You were incinerated to death by that bastard Mustang and we all were killed on the Promised Day, except for three of us. Luckily some dumb ass used a crude form of alchemy to bring us back."

"Lust? Why are you calling her that?" Bridgette asked, wrapping her arms around Gwen. "What did you do to her?"

"Saved her life, dumb human." Envy scoffed. "No human medicine could have saved her so I gave the stone that contained the soul of one of my kind. Since she's still alive it means it worked since she's not wounded or dying. The stone not only destroyed the virus and healed her but it altered her body, changed it into the body of my kind, Homunculus."

"What?" Cody and Noah asked.

"You're not making any sense! You turned Gwen into a mutant?!" Trent stood up.

"I'd watch that tone if I were you human." Envy's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Comparing me to those mutants is a bad idea."

"It's all right, Trent." The new Lust stood up with Bridgette still holding her. "I agreed to this."

"But Gwen..." Trent protested.

"It's all right. She's still the same person as she was before even if she seems different. The stone didn't kill or possess her but it gave her its powers." Pein explained. "I made sure that the Homunculus didn't take over in exchange for a chance to live again."

"So, she's the same human as before but now she's a Homunculus with Lust's powers? I guess it's close enough." Envy remarked with a smirk. "I suppose it's not surprising since Greed's host did the same. So, what made you agree? The chance to be immortal, the power, or maybe the chance to get any guy begging you to drag them to the bedroom?"

"Nothing like that you pervert." Lust growled, not realizing that her fingers had turned into sharp lances.

Bridgette gasped as she jumped back along with everyone who stared at the sharp claws in shock.

Envy grinned, watching as Lust examined her hands. "Surprised? That's your power, **Ultimate Lance**. Each Homunculus was gifted with a unique power in addition to enhanced speed, strength and regeneration. Come on now, you're the new Lust so don't be so shocked."

Lust watched her claws changed back into fingers and looked up at the Akatsuki members. "Where are the people who did this?"

Pein frowned, seeing a familiar look in Lust's eyes. A look of anger and longing for revenge.

"Gwen?" Cody asked, stepping forward. "What are you going to do?"

"Mercenaries did this, releasing the virus and killed everyone here. Even our friends." In Gwen's mind she should see the faces of LeShawna, DJ, Owen, Beth, Heather, and the others who died. "They need to pay."

"Oh! Sounds like I could get along with the new Lust." Envy grinned eagerly. "The previous one always sat back and let me and Gluttony do her dirty work. Let's see how well you can handle it."

"Pein!"

Everyone looked up as a white haired girl wearing the same kind of cloak as the newcomers, except the clouds on her cloak were white instead of red, land behind Pein. Dawn's eyes widened as she saw an aura mixed with white, bright green, and black. White was the color of purity and innocence, while black was the color of mystery and death and bright green was the color of spirituality and warmth. What kind of person had three different colors in their aura?

"What is it, Dani?" Pein asked.

"The mercenaries are trying to force their way onto the roof with a helicopter waiting for them." Dani said quickly. "If we don't hurry, they'll get away."

Pein nodded. "Then we better hurry."

"Small problem." Gaia remarked, pointing behind everyone.

They turned around and a few groaned as more zombies approached the cafe.

"There's just no end to them." Envy groaned. "They're worse than cockroaches. They'll get in our way as we go after those mercs."

"There's a lot more of them this time. I think the early fight was loud enough to catch the attention of every one of them in the mall." Gaia remarked.

"Not more of them!" Bridgette gasped in horror.

"We'll have to fight our way out." Lust remarked, eerily calm despite the fact that the hoard approaching meant certain death. "They're not that tough and we can push our way out. Anyone who can still fight stay together and keep anyone who can't fight behind them and out of reach."

"Sir, yes sir!" Brick saluted.

Lust noticed a small cut on his arm as he saluted.

Dawn gasped a second later. "Brick! You're hurt!"

Brick looked down at his right arm. "It's not a bite."

"But it looks infected." Dawn took Brick's arm in her hands. "It could have been exposed to the virus!"

Brick gulped as he realized the implications of the injury he had received. He was trained as a soldier so he had to be ready for death but he didn't want to die, not like this.

"Envy, you have any more stones with you?" Lust asked.

"Sure, I got Sloth and Wrath with me." Envy replied.

"Good. See to him while I deal with these." Lust stepped towards the approaching hoard of zombies.

Her fingers extended into sharp spears, ready to skewer anything in her way. She stood still for a second and then, charged forward like a speeding bullet. She moved so fast that only a handful could see her movements as she slashed through the approaching zombies, cutting their heads off effortlessly with her clawed fingers.

'She's good.' Envy thought with a smirk. 'She's taken to the role of the new Lust faster than I thought.'

'Her movements are quick and precise.' Pein's eyes managed to keep Lust in his sight. 'To be able to use those new powers so quickly. She's either really gifted or really good at fighting.'

'Whoa!' Dani thought.

A moment passed and the zombies were all dead with Lust standing in the middle, her claws stained with blood.

"We need to move now and get everyone out of here. Do you know where those mercenaries are?" Lust turned and faced everyone. "We can't let them escape without finding out who hired them."

Pein nodded. "That is true. Dani, can you delay their escape?"

"No problem." Dani replied.

"Gaia, Envy, lead this group to the entrance and out of here while we deal with those mercenaries." Pein continued.

"Got it." Gaia nodded.

"Better than going off to fight, I guess. Since this guy is probably infected an all, you don't have a problem with me offering him a stone?" Envy asked.

"Just as long as he accepts it." Pein nodded.

"I do." Brick nodded.

"Very well." Pein made a hand sign and a duplicate of himself appeared right next to him.

He turned back to Dani and Lust. "Let's go."

"Wait! I want to go after those guys too!" Tyler spoke up, stopping them. "They must pay for what they did to Lindsay and the others!"

"Tyler, it's too dangerous." Lust replied. "You need to protect the others."

"But Gwen..." Tyler protested.

"If he's so adamant in wanting to help I have one last stone." Envy offered with a smirk.

Dani nodded and walked up to Lust, wrapping her arm around Lust's shoulder and floated up into the air. Pein watched for a moment before vanishing into what looked like a vortex.

"Who is that man?" Dawn asked.

"Someone you don't want to piss off." Gaia remarked as she turned and faced the rest of the group. "Okay, let's move."

"Give me a second, Gaia." Envy walked over to Brick. "I want to see how badly Mr. Soldier wants to live and how bad Mr. Jock wants to fight."

"You going to do to me what you did to Gwen?" Brick stepped back.

"She accepted and you get the same option." Envy held up two stones. "How much do you want live?"

Brick stared at the stone. "What does it do?"

"Oh, pretty much the same as Lust except you'll get Wrath, the **Ultimate Eye **and Sloth is **Ultimate Speed**." Envy shrugged. "No big deal, you'll just be immune to any disease, including the virus in your blood and you'll be as close to immortality as you can possibly get."

"Immortality?" Brick and most of the others asked.

"We Homunculi don't age like you humans do. However a Human Based Homunculus ages like a human even though the stone alters your body and can slow the aging process down, especially if you can regenerate." Envy explained. "In addition to long life you gain incredible regeneration abilities plus Wrath's power which enhances your vision to the point it's impossible for anyone to hide anything from you."

Brick listened in awe of the power of the stone being offered to him.

"How can these stones make you immortal?" Dawn asked, feeling that these stones were not natural.

"Powerful Alchemy human. So, you want to try?" Envy asked with a smirk. "Remember though, there is a chance you might die but I guess it's better than letting the virus kill you and leave a puppet without its strings."

Brick and Tyler gulped.

"Brick, are you sure?" Zoey stepped forward while wary of Envy. "It might just be a scratch after all."

"Yeah but...what if it isn't?" Brick asked.

"Hurry up. We don't have all day." Envy said impatiently.

Brick stared at the stone and then looked up to Envy. "All right..."

"I'm in." Tyler nodded.

"Then allow me to draw this on you, so you will have the chance to live a normal life." The Pein clone stepped forward.

He quickly drew the same seal on their stomachs like he did with Gwen. When he was done he stepped back and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Hold out your arm." Envy instructed.

Brick and Tyler held out their arms. Envy turned his other hand into a small blade and quickly slashed Tyler's arm, leaving a small cut.

"OW! What the hell?!" Tyler stepped back.

"Like before, expect it to hurt a bit..." Envy smirked.

He pulled Tyler back forward and dropped both the stones onto his and Brick's arms. The stones changed into liquid and were absorbed into their skin. The reaction was instant as Brick and Tyler fell over screaming.

Xxx

Brick didn't know where he was.

Last thing he remembered before blacking out was falling to the floor in extreme pain and now he was standing in a desert.

"Welcome, Cadet."

He turned around and saw a middle aged man with short black hair that was cut like his, a moustache, a military uniform, two swords strapped around his waist, and an eye patch around his left eye.

"Wh-who are you?" Brick stepped back.

"I am Wrath the Furious but my human name was Fuhrer Bradley." The man said with smile.

"Fuhrer?" Brick asked. "There's no Fuhrer! Not anymore!"

"I am not surprised you don't know. This all happened a very long time ago and the country I ruled over is long gone with its knowledge and greatness lost to history." Wrath said with a smile. "I was dead long before that happened so I do not know what happened. Now I see my successor has been trained in the military like I was. Very interesting."

"What do you want?" Brick asked. "Where are we?"

"We're in your mind and as to what I want depends entirely on you." Wrath explained. "I am a Homunculus thus I cannot truly die but I need a human host to exist. You were offered the stone which means you obviously must possess what it takes to become my host."

"I am Cadet Brick and I all I want is to get everyone out of that zombie infested hell hole safely...Sir!" Brick saluted.

Wrath laughed. "Well, you have the determination to fight and survive like any solider. That's good; a man must stand tall in the face of certain death if he expects his subordinates to follow. You have what it takes to be a leader and you know what you must do which shows me you have what it takes to be my host. Very well, take my power and show anyone who seeks to harm you or your allies your wrath."

Brick was pulled towards Wrath who was engulfed in a bright light that clouded his vision. He let out a scream as he was pulled into the light.

Xxx

Tyler was floating in a white void where there was absolutely nothing else except for him and the giant shadow figure standing in front of him.

"Who...who are you?" Tyler floated back, intimidated by the large man.

"I'm...Sloth. You...are...new host." The giant said slowly as if trying to speak was a hard and took a lot of energy.

"Yeah..." Tyler said slowly.

"Man with strange eyes said if I give you my power you do all the work and let me sleep...I think...Remembering takes too much effort..." Sloth said, rubbing his head. "Told me to ask guy who appears here before...What was I supposed to do?"

This guy didn't seem that bright but even Tyler had to admit it might be why he was called Sloth. He was so big and muscular yet he seemed so lazy. Thinking back on what that guy said Tyler decided to take his chances.

"He probably asked you to ask me if it was okay for me to be your host." Tyler offered.

"Oh...yeah...I think so." Sloth nodded. "Do I...ask?"

"Yeah...It's okay. I wanted this and I'll do all the work big guy." Tyler nodded.

"Okay...here you go." Sloth fell and went to sleep but not before Tyler was pulled towards his body.

"Hey what are you..." Tyler was cut off as he was engulfed by a bright light.

Xxx

Brick gasped as he opened his eyes and saw the rest of the TD group staring down with concern on ther faces.

"Brick...your eye..." Mike pointed at his right eye.

"Wh-what's wrong with it?" Brick sat up and looked for something with a reflective surface.

"Here." Envy changed his arm into a sword and allowed Brick to see his face. "Take a good look, **Ultimate Eye**."

Brick stared at his reflection and saw that his left eye was different. No, different was actually an understatement! His pupils now resembled a winged snake eating its own tail around some sort of hexagram.

"My eye..." Brick held a hand over it.

"The power of Wrath, kid. Like I said, it enhances your vision to the point you're even able to see the air itself." Envy changed his sword back into a normal arm. "Since you survived like Wrath's previous host did it means you have the potential like Bradley did. I just hope you don't come off as an annoying prick like he was."

Out of all the other Homunculi Envy got along poorly with Wrath as much as he did with Greed. He considered Wrath an arrogant prick because of the position of power Father had given him even though he was praised for aging like a human, something Envy saw as a weakness.

"Aw..."

"And look who else is awake." Envy commented as Tyler sat up.

Tyler didn't look very different but his body was more muscular, muscular enough that his red track suit was ripped and his chest was exposed, showing the same snake symbol in Brick's eye on his left shoulder. A few girls couldn't help but drool a bit over his body.

"Aw..."Tyler groaned as he sat up. "That was something."

"Welcome back, Sloth." Envy said.

"Sloth...Oh right." Tyler looked down at himself. "Whoa."

"Are you okay?" Gaia asked.

"Yeah, I'll live." Tyler nodded. "Like to know how many weights I had to life to get muscles like this."

Envy examined the new Sloth and could tell that the human had actually managed to survive but Sloth did not take over. He didn't have the blank look in his eyes that he saw in Sloth's eyes during the few times he saw the giant.

"How do you feel?" Gaia asked.

"Tired, lazy, want to take a nap?" Envy asked, aware of Sloth's habits.

"No...I'm good." Tyler shrugged. "I can feel a little tired but I'm eager to get moving."

Those were words Envy never thought he would hear out of Sloth's mouth, even if he was reborn inside a human.

"Can we go now?" Gaia asked impatiently. "We have to get out of here before more of those things show up!"

"Right!" Wrath nodded, taking charge. "Let's move to the entrance of the mall. If we keep quiet we can make through this without a single casualty."

"Here..." Gaia tossed a kunai at Wrath which he caught easily. "Can you handle that?"

After twirling the kunai experimentally in his hand for a moment Wrath looked at Gaia and nodded. "Let's go."

"Got it..." Sloth walked forward, stomping on several zombie corpses as he along with everyone else walked out of the cafe.

Xxx

"I got it!"

The door opened allowing the six mercenaries to step out onto the roof where the helicopter was already waiting for them.

"All right, let's get out of here and get paid." The Leader said.

"Oh, I'm afraid that won't be possible."

They all stopped as a woman stepped out from behind the helicopter, cutting off their escape route. She had long black hair with blue streaks at the end and wore clothing that was familiar and looked too small, showing off her figure.

"Who are you?" The Leader levelled his gun at her.

"...The one who decides if you live or die." The woman's fingers extended into sharp spears.

"Shit! It's a Meta-Human!" The Mercenaries leveled their guns at her but they were too slow.

Lust moved as they raised their guns and her sharp fingers sliced through the guns like a knife through butter.

"Wha?!"

"My gun?!"

"Don't just stand there! Move!" The Leader shouted.

He tried to run but two sharp fingers shot out and went through his right knee. He screamed as they came out and fell over, cradling the wounded leg. The other mercenaries tried to run for the chopper but Pein and Dani appeared in front of them, cutting off their escape route.

"I don't think so." Pein remarked.

Dani put her hands on the ground and turned the ground underneath the mercenaries intangible. They fell through but Dani cancelled her powers before they fell completely and left their heads sticking up out of the floor.

"Bet you didn't see that one coming." Dani remarked with a smirk.

Lust stood over the leader with her claws ready to tear him apart. "Now then...who hired you?"

"I don't know what you're...AH!" His reply was met with one of Lust's claws going through his kneecap.

"That was just a taste of what I have in store. Now tell me who hired you." Lust said, ready to impale him again.

"Allow me." Pein walked up and knelt down in front of the leader.

He tried to grab his gun but Pein put his right hand on the leader's head and instantly the leader was paralyzed as Pein shifted through his memories.

"Lex Luthor, Superman's arch enemy. He hired them when he learned Professor Membrane was holding the T-Virus here so he could search for a cure." Pein narrowed his eyes. "And he paid them a million to release the virus into the complex to implicate Membrane in an accident that would endanger the city."

Disgusted by this Pein ripped the leader's soul out of his body, shocking both Lust and Dani. He then pumped a small dose of Kurama's chakra into the soul, killing it instantly. He turned to the rest of the mercenaries who looked at him in shock and fear. They realized they weren't dealing with the typical super heroes.

They wanted to run but they were stuck.

"Oh boy! I made it!"

They all turned to see Chris Mclean came out of the door and onto the roof.

"There's a helicopter! Yes!" Chris however stopped when he saw the people between him and the chopper. "Her you guys know me? I'm Chris Mclean, famous celebrity. You guys are all going to be heroes when they find out you saved me. You'll all get a big reward."

Lust deathly glared at Chris for abandoning her and the others to fight for their lives.

"Quick we got to get out of here! Everyone else is dead!" Chris said, wanting to get onto the chopper. "They're all probably zombies by now!"

That was when Lust saw red since Chris was literally leaving everyone to die. Her fingers extended into very sharp spears as she walked over to Chris who nervously stepped back.

"You don't know me, do you?" Lust asked.

"I'd think I'd remember a babe like you." Chris said, afraid of the very sharp claws. "But we can catch up later! We got to go now!"

Lust growled as she walked closer towards him. He didn't recognize her huh? She'd made him remember when she was through with him. Dani saw that she was about to impale Chris so she tried to step in.

"There are survivors so we can't leave without them yet."

"Uh? Who?" Chris asked.

"A bunch of teens from that show you host."

"Them? They're dead! There's no way they could have survived, besides they're just a bunch of dumb kids." Chris said, not caring about survivors.

He just wanted to get out of here. Pein and Lust's eyes narrowed, feeling beyond furious that this man just wanted to abandon them all to death. Lust however was livid that Chris would sink this low even if she was not surprised. She thought back to all the times Chris tortured them on his stupid show just so he could get ratings and be famous.

She was about to do something when she spotted movement behind Chris. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was the corpse of Chef Hatchet! She thought she and the others bashed his head hard enough but it was obviously not enough.

"What?" Chris asked, seeing everyone staring behind him.

He slowly looked behind him and saw the undead Chef staring at him. He let out a scream as Chef grabbed and bit down on his neck, tearing out a large piece of flesh. Chris let out a scream as he struggled in vain to get free as Chef continued to devour his flesh. Lust had the decency to look away as Chris continued to scream until it was reduced to a mere death gurgle.

She wanted revenge but not this, even if she felt no pity for Chris.

"I guess we both get payback, huh?" She quietly asked.

She held up one finger and it impaled Chef through the head. He fell to the ground, completely dead this time. Pein and Dani had closed their eyes before they along with Lust glared down at the mercenaries who remained trapped on in the ground.

"This is your punishment for unleashing this hell on all the people here. You can see it up close. Dani, take Gwen back down to the others, it's time we leave." Pein said.

Dani walked up to Lust and put her arm around the Homunculus's shoulders. They phased through the ground while Pein disappeared in a swirl of air, leaving the mercenaries trapped on the roof.

Xxx

The walk the entrance was surprisingly quiet but the group was still on guard for any possible zombie attack. Wrath's Ultimate Eye was scanning every possible direction where any zombie attack could occur while everyone else held some kind of weapon close to them. They made it to the entrance safe and sound but it was still sealed, preventing them from leaving.

"What do we do now?"

"I believe I can help."

Everyone jumped as Pein appeared right in front of them out of nowhere with Dani and Lust behind him.

"How did you do that?" Cam asked.

"Trade secret." Pein said with a smirk. "I see you all made it safe and sound."

"And we got some new friends." Gaia gestured to the new Sloth and Wrath.

"That remains to be seen but we better leave now. The mercenaries have been taken care of and they won't be going anywhere. Dani has brought proof this was staged and we'll be delivering that to the authorities." Pein explained. "For now, we better make ourselves scarce."

"And how do we do tha..." Cody started but Pein was already way ahead of him.

"Oh fu..." Envy's swear was cut off as everyone was sucked into Pein's eyes and vanished into his pocket dimension.

"I might never get tired of using that on him." Pein chuckled.

Looking around the now deserted mall Pein decided he had a few more things to do. First he unraveled a very large scroll and sealed several bodies inside. With that task done he vanished like everyone else.

Xxx

"Damn it, I swear he does that to piss me off." Envy growled.

"Where are we?" Zoey latched onto Mike.

"What is this place?" Bridgette shivered.

"This is freaky!" Cam looked around in shock and awe.

"Bridgette? Guys?" They all looked behind them to see Geoff and Katie standing a few feet away on the same platform.

"Geoff? Katie?" Bridgette asked. "How did you get here?"

"We got separated from the others and then we somehow ended up here." Geoff explained.

"Did we all die? Did we go to...the other place?" Katie fearfully asked.

"If we were dead we'd remember getting mauled to death." Mike pointed out.

They found themselves in a strange place with a completely black sky with randomly arranged and differently sized rectangular prisms acting as the ground.

"It's a parallel dimension that Pein can use to store things and people inside. He brought us here so he can release us somewhere safe." Gaia replied as she sat down at the edge of the large prism everyone was on. "Anyone in his vision can instantly be teleported here and the only way out is if Pein releases us."

"He's not going to hurt us is he?" Zoey asked fearfully.

"Yeah right," Envy scoffed. "What would be the point of saving you all if he just wanted to kill you? Dumb human."

"She was just asking! Lay off!" Mike exclaimed angrily.

"Don't mind him; he likes to piss everyone off." Gaia said, making Envy turn his head away in annoyance. "Well, since we might be here for a while I'm Gaia and this is Envy and Dani."

"Hi." Dani waved one hand while Envy just scoffed.

"Who are you guys?" Trent asked. "Some new super hero group?"

"Mostly." Dani shrugged.

Naruto helped her deal with her guilt from what happened in the lab but she didn't exactly feel like a super hero like the ones these kids were thinking of.

"Okay but what did you do to Gwen, Brick, and Tyler?" Bridgette asked, gesturing to them.

She especially looked worried about Gwen who gave the blond a small smile to try and calm her down.

"We saved two and gave the other super powers so he could fight." Envy remarked sarcastically. "Essentially put each stone carries the soul of a Homunculus when injected into a human it creates a human based Homunculus, with the body of a human and the powers of Homunculus."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jo asked irritated.

"Homunculus, Latin for Little Human was theorized for the mythological concept of an artificially created human created through alchemy." Harold explained. "Alchemy was theorized to be the reconstruction of matter into something else. But it was considered a myth."

"It's no myth, human. After all it was alchemy that created me." Envy replied with a smirk. "And it helped create my siblings who now reside into those humans." He gestured to Gwen, Brick, and Tyler.

"What?" Trent asked.

"It's all right, Trent. I'm still me." Gwen replied as she examined herself. "I don't know how or why but I don't feel any different from before."

"Neither do I, but my left eye feels like...I've got super vision." Brick said.

"And look at me, I'm way for buffed." Tyler flexed his muscles. "I feel a lot tougher now."

"You're just lucky as the process would have killed you if you were not strong enough." Envy remarked.

"It wasn't coincidence that they survived, Envy." Pein's voice was heard even though no one could see him. "The souls of the Homunculi agreed to lend the humans their powers and nothing more in exchange for a second chance at life."

"Huh? Pein? You back at the hideout already? Hurry up and let us out!" Envy called out. "I'm getting tired of sitting around here talking to these humans!"

"It wouldn't kill you to be social once in a while, Envy." Pein remarked with chuckle. "I finished with dropping the evidence off at the police station with evidence proving their employer's hand in this. The people will know it was not the scientist's fault for what happened. They've already sent for a containment team to try and neutralize the virus and make sure it does not spread. The good news is that there are survivors and they are being evacuated right now."

"And anyone else... Did Geoff and the others..." Bridgette started.

"Almost all of them made it out." Pein reassured her. "Now let's find a place to rest since it's been a long day for everyone."

Almost everyone agreed with him on that.

Xxx

When everyone was released from the pocket dimension they found themselves in front of what looked like a huge mansion in a forest with a beautiful lake behind the large house. There was a fence around the house with a gate that was lined with seals meant to keep intruders out.

"Welcome to my humble abode." Pein said jokingly as he bowed.

"What is this place? This isn't the base." Dani commented.

"It's a stop gap, a simple place for us to stop and rest for a little while. Bringing everyone to the hideout would be a little risky, wouldn't it?" Pein asked with a smirk. "It's complete with food, beds for almost everyone, and a shower to wash the blood off."

The TD cast looked down at themselves, noticing the blood on their clothes and even a few of them had blood in their hair.

"Come on in, there's enough food for everyone here for a while." Pein opened the door and invited them all in.

He allowed them all a chance to clean up, washing the blood off their bodies and a chance to have some food. Every single one of the cast were tired and hungry from their ordeal at the mall and just wanted to rest, even if it was in a stranger's house. Some might say they were developing Stockholm syndrome but they felt that these people were right now the only people in the world that they could trust. They took turns in the washroom, taking a shower to wash out all the blood on their skin and hair so they at least looked clean.

In the meantime the new Homunculi took the chance to examine themselves, observing the changes that had come from the transformation. Gwen studied her Ultimate Lance, learning that it could extend over a large distance and could cut through almost anything. Brick's Ultimate Eye allowed him to see almost everything and even allowed him to see movements before they happened. The eye enhanced his vision to the point he could even see tiny bugs like ants or flees scurrying on the ground.

Tyler's strength came with another new power called the Ultimate Speed since he could run almost as fast as the Flash. In addition to these powers they gained super healing from what Envy had told them, even being able to regenerate from critical wounds. They were astounded by these powers and not to mention the fact there were three more out there. When asked about the others, Greed, Pride, and Gluttony, Envy just shrugged and said he had no idea where they were.

He didn't really much care at the moment from the way he sounded. The former contestants were somewhat wary but felt they could trust the people who had saved them. The leader, Pein was mysterious and powerful as Dawn said his aura was radiating was like that of a sun. Not to mention he had the strangest eyes they had ever seen but they were also dangerous looking.

Envy was a condescending smartass who liked to annoy humans who he apparently saw as worms. It didn't help the fact that more than one person brought up how weird he looked. Long hair styled like a palm tree, and not to mention what he wore underneath the cloak. A black tank top that showed his midriff, _really_ short biker shorts and a _skirt_!

That brought up a lot of talk of how a dude (at least they thought he was a dude) could go around wearing a skirt without any kind of shame. That was when they found out that Envy had a really short temper as he basically exploded when they commented on his appearance. More than once someone had to break up a fight as mostly Eva or Jo would provoke be provoked by Envy and would try to fight him. The blond haired girl, Gaia acted politely and tried be the mature one, especially when breaking up the fights but everyone saw she had a slight temper when someone(mostly Envy) would push her too far.

When that happened the ground would shake like there was an earthquake until Pein broke it up, appearing between them and letting loose a powerful aura of energy that almost blinded Dawn. From that point on everyone agreed to not piss him off. The other girl named Dani was shy and preferred to keep quiet, feeling awkward around a large group of people. She acted polite to anyone who spoke to her but often her voice sounded like she felt awkward, never having a long talk with more than one person before.

She preferred to simply watch everyone go about their business while reading a book. No one mentioned it but they had watched her change into her human form and were instantly reminded of the renowned half ghost super hero Danny Phantom. She even resembled him somewhat as her face looked like a female version of his with the same skin, eyes, and hair in both forms except her hair was longer. Not to mention her name even sounded like his even though she never referred to herself as Dani Phantom.

Eventually Cam gained enough courage to ask. "Hey, are you related to Danny Phantom?"

The girl instantly froze and her face showed a sad look.

"No, I'm nothing like Danny Phantom."

Luckily no one else brought it up when they saw how sad she looked. It was late in the day now and everyone was almost wiped out from the long day they had.

"Well, it's been a challenging day for you all." Pein said as he walked into the living room, having discarded his cloak but kept his 'Pein' guise for now. "Now that you have all had a chance to rest it's time I speak to Gwen, Brick, and Tyler on what had happened to them."

Everyone was gathered around him, either sitting on the floor, couch, or the few chairs in the room.

"The reason I drew the seal on your stomachs before Envy gave you the stones was actually meant to keep you from turning into a complete Homunculus." Pein started.

They all shared a look and even Envy looked confused.

"But...Envy said that we would be become Homunculi if we survived." Lust pointed out.

"That is true but my seal was actually meant to contain the stone rather than allow it merge with your body. When I read about the Homunculi and how they existed I began working on a special seal in case the three stones we found would be given to a human. Envy mentioned you would become immortal which was true but he probably forgot to mention that when you become a Homunculus the cells in your body loses the ability divide and reproduce, making you dependant on the stone to heal you and...You'd lose the ability to have children if you wanted to." Pein explained.

The new Homunculi were surprised and Lust even sent a glare at Envy who simply shrugged.

"The seal works by absorbing the Philosopher's stone's powers when it detects its presence inside the human body. The soul of the Homunculus is then absorbed into the seal and then binds it to its host without actually changing them into a Homunculus. The seal allows the Homunculi souls to give their hosts their powers along with their high speed regeneration." Pein continued. "Without the charka and the soul of the Homunculus inside it the stones broke down and faded just mere seconds after entering your bodies meaning the Homunculi are now bound to the seals I placed on you and they can't try to take over your bodies."

In many ways it similar to the same kind of seals used to create Jinchuriki back in his home world but the Homunculi were completely different from the Tailed Beasts. Using what he knew of the seals his family had used he created a special seal that could absorb and trap the souls of anything with a high amount of energy into it the moment it was detected in the body. It kept the Homunculi from taking over their hosts by force since Naruto believe they would cause trouble the first chance they got.

"You did what? That's impossible!" Envy stood up. "There's no way a bit of ink could that!"

"Yet it worked. And I can prove it..." Pein walked over to Brick. "May I?"

Brick lifted his shirt to show the seal and Pein placed a single finger on it. The seal flashed brightly and Brick's Ultimate Eye changed back into its normal form.

"My eye!" Brick said when the eye's enhanced vision went back to normal. "Wha..."

"I activated the locking mechanism that cut's the stone's powers off from your body. Your Homunculi powers have been suppressed by the seal. All I have to do is unlock the seal to give your powers back." Pein explained.

"Why the hell would you do that? After all the trouble we went through to find new members!" Envy spoke up.

"I don't recall any of them agreeing to join us, Envy. They only agreed to use the stones because two of them were dying and the other one wanted to fight and save everyone else. The seals were done in case they wanted to live a normal life, fall in love, have children, and not have to worry about their bodies being snatched." Pein retorted. "I haven't forgotten what they tried to do and since to them their deaths were yesterday their attitudes towards humans most likely have not changed at all. What was to stop them from hijacking their bodies and go on a rampage, especially if and when they find out their Father failed and was killed?"

"So you locked them up?" Envy growled softly.

"They have their chance to live again but it'll be on the terms of their hosts and if they want them removed I'll do so." Pein replied softly. "Believe it or not Envy I'm actually giving them a chance here but do you actually believe that I'd give them a chance to steal their host's bodies so easily."

Envy growled, not wanting to admit Pein had a point. After everything he and the other Homunculi did they'd have to idiots to revive them without some way to make sure they didn't cause trouble.

"You and most of the other Homunculi looked down on humans, seeing them as insects and you paid for that when they killed you. Now you and the others have been brought back, a second chance at life and yet you are stuck in that foolish superiority mentality of yours. They now have to live in real human bodies, if their hosts allow them and maybe they'll see that being human is not that bad." Pein remarked.

"Excuse me, Mr. Pein?" Cam nervously raised his hand.

The older teen turned and looked at the young genius gulped as Pein's eyes looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Well, I was wondering how Envy and the Homunculi were...born?" Cam asked nervously.

Pein shared a look with Envy who sighed but was kind enough to reveal how he and the others were created. He explained how the first Homunculus, Father, had divided parts of his soul that had contained the embodiments of the seven sins of humanity into his Homunculi children. He then went onto to explain that Father had wanted to become the perfect being by sacrificing an entire country which horrified the teens and gave a short version of how he was killed without mentioning that he committed suicide out of humiliation and self loathing. He didn't want them to know he died because that little bastard Edward Elric had realized his deepest secret, something he never hinted even once. He didn't know what happened to Father but he obviously must have been killed because humans were still alive.

Father would have no reason to keep the humans alive if he had become the perfect being like he had envisioned. It was humiliating to admit that he and the Homunculi had fallen, their work undone, and their creator killed. Next thing Envy knew was waking up in a glass jar somewhere in some kind of laboratory with humans using what looked like some form alchemy to bring him and the others back. They wanted to use them as weapons but Envy lied and told them the stones were useless so they locked him away.

If not for Pein and Gaia he'd still be trapped in the base.

Needless to say everyone were rendered speechless by the tale and some even decided that pissing off Envy was dangerous as he explained the role he and the others had played in Father's plot.

"So why free them? They're killers." Zoey pointed out.

"Perhaps, but I wasn't going to kill them after they gained a second chance at life. The seal prevents them from taking over your friends as they are the ones in control this time. If they want them removed I will do if they ask me." Pein replied.

The three new Homunculi shared a glance with each other again. Gwen and Brick had no choice but wanted to use their powers as a chance to save everyone back at the mall and a chance for revenge. Tyler had not been injured but volunteered to gain the power to avenge Lindsay's death. They had gone through some radical changes but had the option of having a simple normal life.

"But we've spent over an hour talking. I think it's time for dinner." Pein said with a smile. "Time to see if we have enough food all the mouths we have."

Almost everyone looked up at the prospect of real food rather than the fast food and crumbs they scrambled to find in the mall.

"We can eat and then I'll take you home after you all have some rest." Pein walked to the kitchen.


	11. Contemplations and Origins

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

"GAH! DAMN IT!"

Outside the large house there were two figures in the backyard who appeared to be fighting. One was the shape shifter named Envy and the other was the blond haired girl who called herself Gaia.

"Watch where you aiming those things!" Envy shouted, holding his arms in front of his face as a barrage of rock kunai slammed into him.

"Why not? It's not my fault you're easy to hit!" Gaia remarked with a smirk. "You're lucky those are dull!"

Envy growled, annoyed at the various small pieces of earth floating around Gaia. "You could at least try fighting without those fancy powers and make it a little fair!"

"Sure, if you think that's fair." Gaia shrugged.

Her hands stopped glowing and the pieces of earth fell to the ground. Just as that happened Gaia charged forward and launched a kick that Envy barely dodged by jumping out of the way. Gaia continued launching punches and kicks which Envy managed to dodge successfully.

"Whoa! You're getting better!" Envy commented as he side stepped a punch. "But not a whole lot smarter!"

He turned his right arm into a snake that wrapped around Gaia's throat, making her gasp for breath.

"Ha! Not so tough without those fancy earth powers!" Envy chuckled.

'Does this guy even care she's his teammate?' Cody thought.

However to his and Envy's shock a hand shot out of the ground between them and punched him in the face. Envy yelped as he released Gaia and jumped back. Looking up his eyes widened as he looked at what looked like a complete copy of Gaia except it was made of dirt from the very earth it came out off.

"What the..." Envy gasped as his snake hand changed back to normal. "It's one of those clone techniques!"

"Glad you remember that one." Gaia said as she and her clone charged forward.

Envy enlarged both hands and swung them at his two enemies. The earth clone shattered on impact but Gaia dodged by lifting the ground under up into the air, forming a dirt made pillar that Envy smashed with his large fist. However the piece of dirt holding Gaia stayed into the air and she angled it down towards the shape shifter.

Envy changed his right arm into a blade whip and swung it upwards. It sliced the boulder carrying Gaia in half but its owner was already gone.

Gaia landed behind Envy and held an earth made kunai at his throat. "You didn't think I was stupid enough to fall for that did you?"

Envy grunted, annoyed his plan to catch her off guard failed. Gaia jumped back and lowered her kunai as she sighed and walked over to a stump where a bottle of water rested. As the two fighters rested from their spar Gwen was sitting on the porch of the back door, choosing to watch them spar while she held her sketchbook. She had barley gotten any sleep the night before since it was nearly impossible to sleep after everything she had been through. She was back in her human form with her new Homunculi powers sealed away by Pein when she asked him.

In the back of her mind she could hear a woman screaming out not to be sealed away. The Homunculi called Lust who gave her those powers. She remembered cutting up those zombies back at the mall, able to use the Ultimate Lance powers almost instinctively. It was effortless the way she used those powers and to be honest she had so wanted to kill the mercenaries and the man who hired them.

But Dani and Pein stopped her because in their mind she still had a chance for a normal life if she wanted it.

'I wanted to kill them because of what their actions did. LeShawna, Owen, Lindsay, Beth, DJ, Sierra...and even Heather.' Gwen thought.

Now though, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do now. The mercenaries were in prison, not worth killing because they were just hired pawns. But the man who hired them was still alive.

'Lex Luthor...'

There was not a soul on this planet who didn't know of the billionaire who was recognized as the arch nemesis of the world renowned hero Superman. While a successful business man the man was a complete and utter sociopath. Gwen had heard about him from her brother who was a Superman fan and loved reading about the hero. Lex Luthor was a ruthless and soulless person, not even remotely close to what Gwen considered to be a human being.

He had done it all just to ruin the public image of Professor Membrane, not caring about who died in the process. Gwen's blood boiled at the thought of that smug faced bastard. She had never before wanted someone dead so much, not even Chris and Heather. She had been through a lot and wondered what she should do now.

Can she life a normal with her powers safely locked away or...

She looked back at the two fighters as they started conversing.

"So where are Pein and Dani?" Envy asked.

"Pein said there was someone he needed to see and Dani insisted she needed to check on something in Colorado." Gaia shrugged. "Pein should be back soon as he said he wouldn't be gone for long."

"Good, I'd hate to be the one looking after those brats." Envy replied.

Gwen frowned at that. From what she learned of the previous Lust's memories Envy had been a sadist and loved to taunt and torture humans for whatever reasons. The guy seemed to have some kind of bipolar disorder or something because he had always been the most emotional of the Homunculi. She knew that Envy's name implied jealousy and wondered what he was jealous of.

He was always taunting humans so it must be something about humans he was jealous of. Gaia and Envy finally noticed that Gwen was watching them.

"Hey, Lust, been there long?" Envy asked with a casual grin.

Gwen's frown deepened at the name. Lust...She was given the powers of the Homunculus named Lust but did that mean she was just some beautiful woman who went around sleeping with strangers? That's what the emotion known as Lust implies: sexual attraction. Gwen may have dated a few boys but contrary to the theories of a more than one fan she never slept with them.

She had promised herself she would wait for when she was married and that her true love would be her first-pardon the cliché. The seal had suppressed the new power inside of her, returning her to her normal teenage form with the snake tattoo above chest disappearing. She was not Lust, she was Gwen again and she was not planning on manipulating and extorting men with her body anytime soon.

"I couldn't sleep much. I blame Chris for messing that up with his early wake up calls." Gwen shrugged as she put her sketchbook down. "The other two..."

"Oh yeah, Pein said he'd take you home. He had to go back to the base to deal with something while Dani said she needed to check on something in Colorado." Gaia answered. "They left early because you were still asleep."

Gwen guessed she shouldn't be so surprised. Based on what she had learned last night these guys, the Akatsuki as they referred to themselves, were looking for new members for their small group. No doubt they were looking for new members or something right now.

"So, Lust, is your plan to just go home or what?" Envy asked.

"I...am thinking." Gwen simply said.

She knew Envy was expecting her to stick around, probably go and kill some humans just like he and the old Lust did in the old days. She was not a murderer; even if she had wanted to kill those mercenaries and that she had killed those zombies. Especially the ones who were the walking corpses of her dead friends. She had accepted those powers because deep down she was afraid of dying.

She knew it was selfish but she couldn't help herself. Like any living being she knew death was inevitable but she was still afraid to die all the same. She wanted to live so she accepted the offer of allowing the Philosopher's Stone to be absorbed into her body and now here she is. However she had a choice of becoming human or not. Pein explained that the seal somehow acted on her command, allowing herself to be human or Homunculus.

She didn't understand it completely but she felt he was looking out for her interests. She heard movement behind her and saw the others were starting to get up.

"I guess I'm stuck making breakfast." Gwen stood up. "Good thing you've got enough food for everybody."

"Great! I'm starving!" Gaia grinned. "Pein seems to be the only around here who knows how to actually cook! I was worried I might starve with him off who knows where!"

Xxx

Far from Jump City Dani landed in front of a familiar cabin in the forests of Colorado. She felt a shiver as she looked at the cabin, remembering the time she had spent here when she was born. It hadn't changed a bit since she last seen it which was almost two years ago. She never expected to be back recent events made her change her mind.

Xxx

_Flashback_

_"If it's all right with you guys I'd like to make a quick trip to Colorado." Danielle said to the Akatsuki members when the TD cast had gone to bed._

_"Why Dani?" Terra asked._

_"There's..." Danielle sighed. "I'm worried that the government might discover my origins."_

_She watched as her teammates shared a glance with each other and waited for her to continue._

_"When the GIW captured me I never told them my origins despite their attempts to force me to tell them. I know that the government has been searching through Vlad's homes, the mansion he owned in Amity Park and the one in Wisconsin and if there is a mention of the secret lab he had in Colorado they'll find out about his cloning experiments. I want to keep myself hidden from them and any other government group that might be experimenting on ghosts. If they find out how Vlad cloned Danny they could make their own as a weapon." Danielle explained._

_"Hmm..." Naruto closed his eyes. "That is a good reason. However Danielle it's not a good idea to go alone."_

_"But you can't come because the Total Drama cast is counting on you to take them home." Danielle pointed out. "It's a simple errand."_

_"Simple Errands can turn into something dangerous easily." Naruto replied. "Unfortunately you are right, I can't leave because these kids will need to me to get home and I have something I need to check on. Terra and Envy won't be able to keep up with you flying at high speed in your ghost form since I believe you want to get there as soon as possible."_

_"I do. Please, there's no need to create a clone to follow me. I'll be in and out as quickly as possible." Danielle promised._

_Naruto sighed. "All right, but in exchange for that I want you to take something."_

_"What's that?"_

_Naruto pulled out a tri-pronged kunai. "This kunai will allow me to appear in the location it is thrown at. All you have to do it throw it and I will sense it and instantly appear."_

_Danielle thought it over for a second and nodded. No need to turn him down since he was trying to look out for her._

_"Deal."_

_He handed her the kunai and she looked over it._

_End Flashback_

Xxx

Dani pulled the kunai out and looked it over. She wondered just how someone could use a weapon with strange markings to teleport but then again she had learned a lot of things she had thought were impossible. She changed back into her human form as she walked up to the door of the cabin and opened it. She peeked inside, noticing the dust covered mirror and furniture, showing that no one had been inside this cabin in years. She stepped inside slowly, taking note of everything in the room.

Vlad had always enjoyed the decorative life style of the rich and wealthy. The walls were decorated with the trophies of dead animals, a long purple carpet covered the floor in front of the fire place, and purple curtains hung down in front of the windows. It was all the same as the last time she had been here. In some twisted way this had been her home, the place she had grown up in.

The memories came rushing back.

Memories of her birth, Vlad when she thought he loved her, meeting Danny for the first time, knocking him out and taking him back to Vlad's lab where she learned the horrible truth. They rushed through her mind even if she didn't want to remember all of them. The feelings of sadness, anger, and gratefulness and so much more swelled up inside her heart.

Sadness and anger for the father figure who lied and tried to kill her.

Gratefulness to Danny for saving her.

'I wonder if Danny has even thought about me since the last time we met. He didn't notice me helping during the Disasteroid incident. Does he wonder where I am? Has he ever tried to find me?' Danielle thought.

Shaking her head as she tried to get rid of these thoughts Danielle quickly focused on why she had come here and walked for the door to the basement. She reached for the knob and slowly turned it, opened the door and peeked into the dark basement. Taking a deep breath she walked down the stairs into the lab where she first opened her eyes. The place looked as dusty as the cabin upstairs showing that like cabin that no one had been in this place for a while.

Vlad probably abandoned it when his clone project failed but that didn't mean he hadn't left anything important behind. From the looks of the broken tubes lining the wall, the scattered equipment on the floor and most of the smashes computers it quickly became obvious that Vlad had not rebuilt the lab after his scuffle with her and Danny. He may have just moved out and set up a new lab in his mansion at Amity Park. She looked at the smaller cryo-tube in the room, recognizing the instant she glanced at it.

It was the very one she had been born in.

She had opened her eyes for the first time inside this cyro-tube that had supplied her with nutrients and oxygen to keep her alive. She shivered as she stared at it and quickly focused on her objective. It seemed the main computer was still in fine condition meaning that it was never damaged or Vlad repaired it at some point. Pressing the power button Danielle watched as the computer slowly powered up, knowing that it take a few minutes since it hadn't been used in ages.

The computer was password protected but Danielle already knew the password.

MADDIE

'Seriously, how can he think that was a good idea?' Danielle thought.

On the screen appeared the screensaver Vlad had picked which was a picture of Maddie Fenton on her wedding day with Vlad's face in Jack's place.

'Okay, I should have known he was a Fruit Loop if he had all of this around.' Danielle sighed as she started combing through Vlad's files.

She wanted to delete them all as soon as possible so she could leave. However when she came upon Vlad's personal logs and as she read them over her eyes widened and her jaw hung open.

"No way! He couldn't have! Oh my God!" Danielle gasped as she stepped away from the computer.

CRASH!

Danielle spun around as the door the basement lab was blasted open. Out of the smoke came a large group of men all wearing a familiar type of suit.

'The Guys In White!' Danielle narrowed her eyes.

She had not forgotten the people who imprisoned her, tortured her with drugs and electrocutions to see what made her tick, and tried to control her.

"Well, well, look who we have found." The leader smirked at her. "We had some trouble tracking you with our satellites but we knew it was only a matter of time before we found you again."

"What?" Danielle asked.

"We've been searching for you and Phantom for a while now but we never got a lock until now." The leader explained as his men pointed their guns at her. "We'll back taking you back now and this time we won't be bothering with the interrogations. Just get right to the dissections and experiments."

Danielle's eyes narrowed as she changed into her ghost form. "I'll kill myself before that happens."

"You're a ghost, you're already dead." The leader scoffed. "Take her boys."

Dani had no intention of being captured again so she phased down into the ground as they fired their weapons.

"Scan the area and make sure she doesn't get away!" The leader barked.

Dani appeared out of the ground outside of the cabin and took cover behind a tree.

"Damn it! Why now of all times?!" She muttered to herself.

The last thing she needed right now was a fight with the Guys in White, especially since the computer downstairs had all the information on her and the other clones.

"Damn! Damn! Damn! DAMN!" Dani banged the tree. "If they find out..."

If they find out they might try and make an army of clones half ghosts that they will use to take out Danny!

'I can't let that happen.' Dani's fist tightened as they glowed bright green. 'I won't let them use this research to hurt Danny and his family!'

"Ghost Girl detected. She's behind those trees!"

Dani was already moving as the GIW officers aimed and fired. She jumped and rolled across the ground as the tree she had used for cover was blasted by energy beams. The GIW along with any other ghost hunting group had figured out how to utilize ectoplasm charged energy beams as a weapon against ghosts. They were highly efficient and could even hurt a ghost even when they were intangible.

Dani remembered all too well what happened the last time she had faced them. She had been unprepared for what weapons they had but this time she was ready. They fired at her again but she fired first with ghost rays from her hands, knocking the guns out of their hands easily but the jump ship they had arrived in floated up into the air and aimed its large cannon down on her.

"Oh crap!" Dani gulped as the cannon started to charge.

She knew she wouldn't be fast enough to avoid a blast like that so she didn't bother trying to fly. She changed into her human form and raised her hands.

"I surrender."

The leader smirked. "Sorry, we're not taking prisoners this time."

'Damn it!'

The cannon fired when it was fully charged and Danielle could only grit her teeth as the blast slammed into her body. The GIW officers on the ground peppered her with ecto fire as her body fell to the ground.

"Target neutralized." The lead officer smirked.

"Grab her body so we can take it back to the lab."

The man walked over to the body with two more men to help him carry the body. They levelled their guns cautiously at her just in case she was faking.

"Looks like we got her boys." The leader smirked.

That was when the body vanished in blast of white smoke.

"What the..."

In the place of the ghost girl's body was a large piece of bark. That was when Dani appeared behind the ghost and blasted them in the back with her ghost rays before they could react.

"That was close..." Dani sighed in relief.

She was so glad she stuck around and trained with Naruto. That Substitution Justu really came in handy for last second escapes. She changed back into human form to try and trick them but also because she could use the techniques Naruto taught her in human form. She didn't understand why but from what she knew of chakra it was because her ghost form was composed almost entirely of spiritual energy instead of a mix of physical and spiritual energy.

She spun and fired an ecto beam at the jump ship before it could fire at her again. The beam hit the engines resulting in an explosion that knocked it out of the sky.

"That'll teach ya to try and pick on a poor and defenceless girl!" Danielle shouted with a smirk. "Not that there actually is such a thing."

"Oh really?"

Danielle felt something hit her in the back and bright green electricity coursed through her body. She screamed as she fell to her knees. She looked behind her as the leader walked up to her with his gun pointed at her.

"Don't bother trying to turn into your ghost form. This weapon here disables ghost powers temporarily. Long enough for me to take your body back to the lab for dissection." The leader smirked.

"You just don't give up, do you? You keep on chasing after ghosts and keep on chasing Danny Phantom ever after he saves your ungrateful asses." Danielle growled as she slowly reached into her cloak.

"You and the freak are abominations that don't deserve to exist. If not for him and Masters all those ghost incidents would never happen. You're just a menace deserves to be kept in labs and dissected for the purpose of protecting humanity." The leader explained, pointing gun at her face. "Now get up."

"Well you know what?" Danielle slowly stood up. "I'm human too."

"Yeah right, you're nothing but-GAH!"

Danielle had pulled out a kunai Naruto had given her from her cloak and stabbed the gun, damaging it. Danielle punched the GIW leader in the gut knocking him down.

"Damn you!" He growled, glaring up at her.

"You say I and Danny Phantom are abominations but who are you to judge us? Ghosts are the manifestations of people who died but were left with unfinished business that kept them on this plane of existence. We are people who think and feel like humans and the Ghost Zone is connected to this world like two sides of a coin. You, a normal human who would condone experimenting on us just because you don't think we're alive." Danielle glared down at him. "I wonder if you'll become a ghost when you die and people will come after you to dissect your body. If that happens don't expect a whole lot of sympathy because when it all comes down it you and these idiots who work with you are just a bunch of Neo Nazis, hating something that's different from you. You think the world will praise you as heroes for killing Danny Phantom? Odds are that they'll come after your heads and the government will side with them.

In the end you guys as just a lonely island where no one hears or cares what you think."

The GIW leader growled hatefully up at her. "WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE ME YOU FREAK?! WHEN I AM DONE YOU ABOMINATIONS WILL BE WIPED FROM EXISTENCE!"

He jumped up to attack her but Danielle thrust her arm forward in self defence and in his rage the leader didn't have a chance to dodge the kunai that lodge itself in his chest. Danielle gasped as the kunai stabbed him in the chest and the man gasped in shock as he looked down. He looked back up at her with a look of hate and triumph.

"Just a...soulless...freak..." He gasped as he fell over, dead from his wound.

Danielle gasped when she realized what she had done but she had no time to consider what she had done as she had to duck to avoid another shot. The Guys In White she had knocked down earlier had regained conscious and quickly surrounded her.

"You've made a big mistake, you freak." The one pointing a gun at her face snarled. "I'm going enjoy watching you get cut up."

Danielle knew she couldn't face them all in the state she was in. She then remembered what the kunai Naruto gave her was for.

"Come on, Nar. I need you." She whispered.

She threw it forward ducked as the one pointing his weapon at her fired. The kunai embedded itself on a tree behind him.

"You just keep on trying, don't you? Were it not for the fact you're just a half dead abomination I'd be impressed but it ends now."

"You're right. It is over."

Danielle watched as Naruto, wearing his shinobi clothes and the long white coat with flames at the bottom. His hair was its regular blond color but his Rinnegan eyes were flaring at the scene in front of him.

"Who are you?" The man turned around and pointed his gun at the mysterious newcomer.

"Someone who's really pissed off. I'm giving you one chance to stand down and let her go." Naruto said dangerously.

"That freak is our property now and anyone who tries to take it will be considered a terrorist." The man said, aiming at Naruto's head.

"I see..."

That was all the warning he got as Naruto vanished and reappeared in front of him, pulling out a small sword and stabbed the agent through the chest. Everyone raised their guns to blast him but to theirs and Danielle's shock energy chains with very sharp blades at the end erupted from Naruto's body and in a mere second all of the agents were on the ground, dead.

"Danielle, are you all right?" Naruto asked, dispelling his energy chains. "What happened?"

"They tracked me here and tried to capture me." Danielle sighed. "Their leader used a weapon that disabled my ghost powers but I managed to beat him...with that kunai."

Naruto picked up the kunai and noticed the blood on it. He turned towards the body and noticed the stab in the leader's chest.

"Are you all right?" Naruto looked back at her as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm all right. Just a little tired." Danielle nodded with a small smile. "Those tricks you taught me came in handy."

"I'm glad." Naruto smiled back. "Is there anything I can do?"

"A ride home wouldn't be out of the question and...There's something I have that I can't believe." Danielle held out her jump drive. "And to be honest I don't how Danny would react if I even thought of telling him."

"What is it?"

"The information on how I was born." Danielle was uncomfortable talking about so Naruto dropped it.

"Come on, let's go."

They both vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Xxx

Gwen watched as the rest of the cast came down for breakfast while Gaia and Envy walked inside to make sure everyone was all. She was sitting in front of the TV, watching the news channel.

"_And in the aftermath of the disaster at the Membrane complex several men were apprehended and identified as the people who released the virus. They claim they were hired to release the virus and frame Professor Membrane for the disaster but before they could tell us who hired them all of them were killed by an unidentified sniper that police were unable to capture._"

'Bastard slips through the radar again.' Gwen angrily thought.

"Gwen, breakfast is ready!" Cody called from the kitchen.

When everyone was seated at the table Gwen figured it was time to ask her question.

"Hey, Gaia, right?" She spoke up.

Terra looked up when Gwen called out her codename. "Yeah?"

"This group, Akatsuki, it's different from the other hero groups isn't it?" Gwen asked.

Almost everyone was silent as Terra nodded. "Yeah, it's different. We're not exactly like the heroes on certain areas."

"I know. I saw your boss, Pein kill the leader of those mercenaries." Gwen agreed.

That surprised the rest of the group as no super hero ever killed any criminal.

"Let me guess, you're one of those hero worshippers who believe that killing makes you like those bad guys?" Envy sarcastically remarked.

"No...those guys deserved it for what they put everyone through." Gwen shook her head. "That's what makes you guys different."

"But...isn't it wrong to kill?" Zoey brought up.

"Really? Then what would happen if you were being attacked by someone who was trying to rape you and you accidently killed them in self defence? Does that make you murderer for defending yourself?" Envy asked, smirking. "Soldiers are trained to follow orders, including orders to kill. Should they be treated as killers for simply following orders?"

"It is the duty of a soldier to protect the people of their country and its interests." Brick said. "I know it isn't always like that but that's the way I say it ought to be. I see where a lot of these heroes come from on the no killing thing, but the people who caused that massacre..." His hands clenched into fists. "They _deserve_ to die for what they did, especially if they plan to repeat it."

B whispered something to Zoey. "Oh, B says he agrees with Brick and..." She continued to translate for the real life version of MacGyver. "He's not usually one to wish death on somebody...but whoever decided to willingly unleash an outbreak like the one we came from...have it coming." B pulled away and nodded.

"Truer words have never been spoken," Gaia nodded. "A lot of heroes fear losing control if they start killing. I know that fear because I used to have no control over my powers and it ended up hurting a lot of innocent people. But it's different now. I have control and I know who to use my power against and what they have done. I don't kill small time thugs for things like hijacking a car or stealing chips from a store. When I kill...it's because they've done something to deserve it. And with all the super villains out there, it's easy to find a reason."

"But how can you say who deserves to live or dies?" Bridgette asked. "Who are you to judge who lives and dies?"

"I can ask the same question to the people who murder and rape innocent people. Who are they to believe they can do all those things and get away with it? Why should the people suffer while those monsters walk and roam the streets believing they've won? Who speaks for these people when the monsters aren't stopped but simply locked up in an asylum only to break out and do it again?" Gaia sighed. "I know of a few people who deserve to die because of what they did. How they manipulated and used everyone around them as pawns and then threw them away like trash. But the difference is that here, in the Akatsuki we all follow a code of honour, meaning we strike down only the real criminals but if we choose not to kill someone than we are not cold blooded murderers."

"Besides, how many of those zombies did you all kill at that mall? Even if they were already dead can you honestly say you didn't feel like you actually killed them?" Envy asked.

Everyone shared a glance at that remark. It was true, they all felt like they had killed those people, even the corpses of their dead friends, even if they already were dead.

"I once believe it was wrong to kill myself but I saw...things from a different perspective." Gaia explained. "The Justice League, the Teen Titans, they all like to avoid killing but they fail to realize their actions are just repeating a cycle. Villains attack, kills people, gets caught, locked up, only to escape and the process repeats itself. They just hand the bad guys over the authorities but they don't do anything else when the bad guy uses his money and connections for bail or to make the charges against them go away so they can walk out and commit more crimes."

"Like Lex Luthor?" Gwen asked, earning everyone's attention.

"The rich guy who butts heads with Superman? What does he have to do with this?" Cody asked.

"He was the one who hired the mercenaries to release the T-Virus in the mall." Gwen replied.

"What?!" Tyler stood up. "He did that?!"

"Yeah, he wanted to discredit Membrane by blaming him for the outbreak so he could take out one of his main rivals." Gwen grimly explained.

"That bastard! He killed our friends and they don't do anything about it?!" Tyler growled. "What the hell is wrong with them?!"

"They can't because Luthor can afford the best lawyers in the world and he has the connections to make these accusations go away. Everyone knows what kind of person he is but it doesn't matter as he can almost buy his way out of any kind of trouble." Gwen replied. "I just watched the news and I found out that the mercenaries who did this were all killed before they could tell who hired them. "

"So he puts us through hell and all he gets is a slap on the wrist?" Trent asked, feeling as angry as the rest of the group.

"That does it, I want in!" Tyler looked at Gaia and Envy. "This group you're making, I want in! That bastard got Lindsay killed!"

"Tyler, wait a second! You can't be considering it! If you kill Luthor you'll be wanted for murder!" Bridgette protested.

"You think I care about that? Lindsay's dead! The one girl who loved me is dead and the bastard who was behind it all is still out there!" Tyler raged.

"What about your family?" Bridgette asked. "They love you too. They'll be worried day and night about you."

"I might be joining as well." Brick nodded. "I can't let what happened yesterday go. I was trained as a solider to protect my country but what happened in that mall...I need to give those people closure."

"But Brick, what about your family?" Zoey asked.

"They were proud of me for joining up with the military. I'm not forgetting them but those people died horribly and they have no one to speak for them. How can the super heroes claim they are protecting the innocent when they let people like Luthor use their money to buy their way out of their punishment?" Brick sighed.

"Gwen, please help me out here." Bridgette asked, turning the silent goth.

"...I'm not sure." Gwen almost whispered. "I'd like to say they are wrong but...They're not, Bridgette. Look at what happened. I read up on what happened after we left. The military moved in and killed anyone who was still carrying that virus around but there was no mention of perpetrators being named. They were probably bribed or something, again."

"So what? You just vanish and go on a crusade?" Bridgette asked.

"I'm not saying that, Bridgette. It's just..." Gwen trailed off. "I don't know. I'm not sure what I should do Bridgette."

"We can still go home, right?" Zoey asked.

"But what happens if the military finds out and comes after us if they're afraid we're infected?" Gwen pointed out. "Will we be putting our families in danger?"

Everyone shared a look mixed with hopelessness and anger. They felt like there was no way to go home now and anger at Chris for lying to them and leaving them to die.

"That damn bastard! If he was still alive I'd wring his scrawny neck!" Eva growled.

"Get in line." Jo said, sitting next to her.

"You can wait for Pein to get back. He said he won't be gone for long. All he said was that he may have found someone else." Gaia said.

"A new member?" Envy asked.

"Maybe."

"GAH!" Envy jumped off his chair as Naruto and Danielle appeared him. "DAMN IT, PEIN!"

"You really need to start trying to more aware of your surroundings, Envy. If I was an enemy you'd be dead." Naruto remarked with a grin.

Everyone noticed that the Akatsuki Leader now had orange hair and blue eyes and they saw the whisker like markings on his face that were not there before. They all had questions but decided to wait and watch the group members interact.

Gaia giggled while Envy grumbled as he sat back down. "So what's up? Did you find a new member?"

"Possibly but he'll require surveillance for awhile until I am sure of what his intentions are." Naruto said as he walked to the counter get a glass of water.

"We want in." Brick and Tyler stood up and spoke at the same time.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"This group that you're making. We want in." Brick explained.

"And why do you want in?"

"Because...Our friends died and our families think we're dead. If the military finds out we're alive they'll track us down thinking we might be infected. We can't go home because they might quarantine us and our families if they think they're contaminated." Brick explained. "We have nowhere to go and we...want to do something."

"Something to make those bastards pay!" Tyler growled.

Naruto looked at them and then at Gwen before replying. "I understand the need for revenge however if that's all you want than I won't help you."

"Huh?"

"This isn't a club where we'll go after any person regardless of who has wronged someone here at this table. I want to bring in people who wish for a better world, one where they don't have to live in fear of constant attacks by criminals who are caught, locked up, and then somehow escape over and over again as part of the vicious cycle I have come to see. If you want to help me, I'll do what I can to help you train and understand what powers you now have but at the same time we'll be working on purging those feelings you have as even if you don't mean it those emotions can create the deadliest force on this planet and could cause untold suffering." Naruto explained with a stern look.

No one had the potential to argue with him so Brick simply saluted. "Sir, yes sir!"

"Okay..." Tyler slowly nodded.

"What about us?" Cam asked, gesturing to everyone else at the table.

"Don't worry as I don't just accept people with powers. I said I am looking for people who want to make the world a better place but at the same time I want them to remember that such a thing as peace requires strength and commitment. If there is a way to create the bridge that will this world to peace it requires more than one person, it requires people coming together in understanding and determination to reach that peace. That is what the Akatsuki is, the coming of people who choose to come together and rely on themselves and each other instead of relying on super heroes to make the problems go away.

A group composed of people with only super powers would just be seen at best as another gang of vigilantes trying to make a name for themselves. That is not our goal here. We aren't here for glory or recognition that the super heroes are after. We stick to the shadows and do what is necessary. If you agree to become my comrades you will forget about revenge but that does not mean I will not help you find a way to give the victims closure. It will be done through a different path, a path where you will shown a righteous path." Naruto explained with his voice thick with complete seriousness.

Everyone found themselves silent as they considered his words. No one had the courage to argue with or comment on what he said, not even Envy, Eva, or Jo.

"You can stay or go if you wish but remember this when you are part of the Akatsuki you work together for the same goal, and you never abandon your comrades, _ever_." Naruto declared. "You help them and they will help you. I will give a day to think it over and I will respect your decision, whatever it may be."

Everyone looked at each other as they considered Naruto's words. Terra and Daneille were firmly in Naruto's camp since with him they felt they could learn how to be better people. Envy would say he was only in because he had nowhere else to go but to be honest he was intrigued by what Naruto was promising. As the former casts of the reality show Total Drama considered his words Gwen stood up.

"I don't know honestly what I want but...I know I want to keep my friends and family safe. Even if I don't get to beat down the bastard who killed a lot of my friends, I just...I want to protect my family and any friend I have left." She stated honestly.

"I'm a soldier and I want to help change things for the better." Brick stood up next.

"Me too, I want to make sure what happened to Lindsay never happens to anyone else ever again." Tyler was next.

One by one everyone agreed, even the ones who probably had no fighting skills what so ever. But they agreed to help in whatever way they could.

Naruto smiled. "Then congratulations, you've all agreed to become part of a brave new world. And just in time too."

He unraveled the large scroll he had brought with him and rolled it out on the floor in a puff of smoke everyone gasped to see...

"Lindsay?!" Tyler shouted.

"LeShawna?" Gwen's jaw dropped.

"Sierra!" Cody gasped.

"Big O!" Izzy cried out.

One by one, the members of the Total Drama cast that had died stood up, looking at everyone with confused eyes.

"What happened?" Beth asked.

"You...you guys are dead!" Noah stuttered for perhaps the first time in his life.

"Dead? What do you mean?" DJ asked.

"You were all killed at the mall by those zombies!" Trent explained.

"We were?" LeShawna asked and looked down at herself. "Then how am I here?"

"I believe I may have had something to do with that." Naruto said with a smile as everyone looked at him.

"Nar...did you actually resurrect them?" Terra asked with eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"No way! There's no way he could have done that! It's impossible, no matter what tricks he's got!" Envy shook his head in denial.

"Well, Envy...there was a reason I had to disappear last night." Naruto said with a sheepish smile.

Xxx

_Naruto was in his Kamui dimension unraveling his large scroll and in a puff of smoke the Total Drama cast member who died and the scientist who Danielle killed laid in front of him._

_"What do you plan to do?" Danielle stood behind him._

_"Well, if all goes according to plan they will be brought back to life." Naruto made a hand sign._

_"...You're kidding right? You can do that too?" Danielle asked with wide eyes. _

_"I've never done it before but I know how it works. The technique revolves around infusing the body with new life energy that will turn it into an anchor allowing the spirit, which is actually the thread that connects the soul to the body to be remade and used as an anchor to call the soul back from the afterlife. It's a risky move...but it can be done." Naruto explained._

_"Risky? Are you..." Danielle started._

_"Don't worry, I got a plan." Naruto smiled. "I wouldn't do this if I wasn't sure I'd be okay."_

_Danielle watched in awe as Naruto's body was engulfed in golden flames with strange seals appearing across along with necklace like seals appearing around his neck. His coat now resembled a long flaming jacket with dark seal lines, his whisker like marking were darker and looked like solid bars, and his Rinnegan eyes were blazing gold._

_"The path that decides life and death. **Gedo: Rinne Rebirth Jutsu!**" Naruto whispered._

_Danielle looked on as the bodies glowed bright green, instantly healing the wounds that they had suffered, and a second later they all let out groans and coughs. Danielle gasped in shock and awe at what had happened. _

_They were alive again!_

_She looked at Naruto who returned to his normal form and noticed he was panting a bit. "You okay?"_

_"I am fine. The technique is always exhausting to use." Naruto reassured her._

_She looked back to the scientist she had killed and felt happy that he was alive again. _

_"We better get back to the others before they start getting worried."_

Xxx

"You brought them back to life?! Damn it, Pein! Just when I think I have you figured out!" Envy rubbed his hand through his hair. "How is it possible? You can't just summon a soul back!"

"Actually I can and I did." Naruto smiled as he sat down at the table. "But the technique is only safe to use for a day when the victim dies otherwise it would have taken a lot more energy. But it's done now and your friends are back."

"Big O!" Izzy leapt at Owen and knocked him over.

Cody gave Sierra a hug which she happily returned while everyone else cried out and hugged their dead friends as well, happy to have them back. Danielle looked to the scientist named Joseph who she had killed and could only smile at him when he smiled at her. He didn't bear any grudge against her for killing him and she was happy for that. They all exchanged stories and food that night with most questions directed at the formerly dead cast members about what is like being dead.

However the formerly deceased had no memory of being dead or ever being in any place that could have been the afterlife. Naruto had explained that it was impossible for anyone to remember what the afterlife was like if they had somehow returned to the mortal plane. Even if you remember mere glimpses the soul has no memory of what happens when the physical body dies. This left a few disappointed since they had been curious if one of the deceased could remember what death was like.

Eventually dinner ended and everyone settled down for the night.

Xxx

Danielle wore a simply long blue T-shirt for bed but she was far from able to sleep. She sat on edge of her bed as she stared at the jump drive in her hands. There was a knock on her door that made her look up.

"Danielle, are you okay?" Naruto's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, I'm good." Danielle replied as Naruto opened the door.

"Somehow I doubt that." He wore a simple black T-shirt and blue shorts with his hair and eyes back to normal. "Is this about what happened in Colorado?"

Danielle looked down at the jump drive in her hands. "I'm...not upset about that man. He was going to use me to hurt Danny and his family. I didn't enjoy it but I'm not letting it keep me down. It's what I saw on this computer..."

She waited for Naruto sit on the bed next to her. "Go on."

"...Vlad did more than just use Danny's DNA to create me." Danielle sighed. "I found the logs he made when he was making the clones and when I found the ones he recorded when he was making me...I'm not a clone."

Naruto was silent, just waiting for her to finish.

"He didn't use Danny's entire DNA to make me because he only had the Ghost part of his DNA which was why none of the other clones were able to turn into humans. He couldn't get Danny's human DNA so he got the DNA from...his friend Sam. He somehow got her DNA and created an artificial egg which he then inserted Danny's Ghost DNA into. He didn't create a clone..." She turned and looked at Naruto as a tear fell from her right eye. "He created Danny Fenton and Sam Manson's daughter."

Naruto raised both eyebrows but put a hand over Danielle's shoulders to comfort her.

"I've always thought I was a girl by accident. That Vlad messed up but...I'm a girl because Sam's DNA, because of my...mother. All I can think of is why Vlad didn't tell me. Was it because he didn't want me running off to see them? I've always looked up Danny as an older brother but now I find out he's actually...My Father." Danielle shook her head. "It probably means nothing. Why should it change anything? I wasn't born to him or Sam I was born in a test tube not to mention I came out as a twelve year old girl when I born. I'm three years old and I look fifteen and they're probably in college or something, why would they want a kid right now? It's not my right to bring this on them."

"And what will you do? Just go for the rest of your life ignoring it? You don't think he doesn't think of you?" Naruto asked.

"What right do I have to burden him with this? How can I tell him that I'm his daughter created by his worst enemy? Why would they want me? I'm just a walking collection of his and Sam's cells, an abomination. I'm not even a clone, I'm a..."

"Enough!" Naruto stated sternly as he grabbed both of her shoulders. "Stop talking shit!"

Danielle looked up at him with widened eyes.

"It doesn't matter how you were born, you're alive and that's what matters. Do you actually believe that Danny would reject you after all the stories of him you told me about? You really believe that or are you scared of telling him and becoming what you think is a burden? In the end, you know deep down he'd never think of you that way because the fact that he cared for you at all should be enough."

Danielle was completely stunned before more tears came down her face as she hugged Naruto. "Thank you."

"Anything for my precious people." Naruto smiled. "Now get some sleep. We start training in the morning."

Danielle nodded as she let go of him and sat back on her bed. "I know."

"Good night Dani-Hime." Naruto whispered as he walked out of the room.

Danielle smiled as she pulled the covers and laid her head on her pillow. Naruto softly closed the door, allowing Danielle to sleep peacefully.

Xxx

Somewhere, far away from where the New Akatsuki was resting a being watched in shock as several hour glasses in front of it refilled with new sand instantly.

"Impossible...someone...something...has caused these hourglasses to refill...meaning these teens were resurrected!" The cloaked figure gasped as it looked over the hourglasses. "This is not possible! This is simply not possible!"

How could someone resurrect these teens when it was their time? Who could defy Death and Fate like this? Who could possibly gain such power?

"This is not good. This is not good." The cloaked figure shook its head. "I must find whoever is responsible and kill them immediately."

Just as it picked up the scythe sitting next to it an unwelcome familiar voice stopped him.

"BONE HEAD! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

The cloaked figure stood still before putting its scythe down.

"Maybe later..."


	12. Mercer: Bottom of the Food Chain

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

The sun rose up in the house where the New Akatsuki was staying at along with their guests but several individuals were already wide awake. Gwen looking out the window as the sun rose and looked back inside to see some of her friends wide awake and sitting on a couch, chair, or on the floor as they watched sun rise. Among them were almost everyone who had been killed at the Membrane Complex and yet here they were.

Back from the dead.

LeShawna, DJ, Beth, Heather, Owen, Lindsay, Sierra, and Sadie had not been able to get any sleep at all during the night. They had been too busy dealing with the fact that they had been dead and had somehow been brought back to life. Sadie were literally glued to the hip even more so than usual. Lindsay had barely had the chance to register where she was before Tyler held her in his arms and gave her the longest kiss she ever had.

Needless to say Lindsay was happy where she was at the moment.

Harold was happy his LeGoddess was back and stayed close by and LeShawna allowed it. The experience of dying almost seemed to shake all doubt she had about a relationship with him after dying and given a second chance. Owen and Izzy took a bedroom for themselves and to be honest on one wanted to know what they were doing in there. Sierra was sitting next to Cody who didn't mind her presence, happy that she was alive again after seeing her sacrifice her life to save him.

"...and that's when you guys were brought back." Cody finished telling them what had happened.

"So Alejandro's alive too?" Heather asked hopefully.

No one had the courage to look at her but Gwen decided to speak up. "He was on the list of who those who died when they searched the complex."

A few expected Heather to react in anger or heartbreak but she simple said. "I see."

They all shared a concerned look.

"So..." LeShawna started, trying to change the subject. "What now?"

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked.

"I heard you got super powers now, girl. And I heard you want in on this group here? Are you sure you want to do this?" LeShawna asked.

Gwen sighed when everyone looked at her. "It's great...no it's a miracle you and everyone else are alive again, LeShawna. But we saw you all die and that's not something that's going to go away."

"Yeah...I remember getting piled on by those things." LeShawna shuddered and Harold put an arm on her shoulder. "I hope that does not stay with me for the rest of my life."

"I know." Beth nodded. "Those zombies..."

"Drop it Beth." Heather quickly said.

"I'm glad Geoff and everyone else made it out though." Everyone looked to see Bridgette watching the sun rise as she sat cross legged on the ground.

"I guess so." Gwen agreed.

"Didn't he abandon you guys?" Sierra asked as she sat next to Cody.

"He did, but he was scared." Bridgette pointed out. "We were all scared."

"Scared enough he left you even though you could die." Gwen frowned. "Sorry, Bridge but I'm not sticking up for him this time."

Bridgette sighed. "I understand."

She and Geoff had no spoken a lot since they escaped the mall and not a lot of Bridgette's friends held him in high regard at the moment. It was better to let him and Geoff work things out on their own without anyone interfering.

"On that subject...I'm done with Total Drama and I'm going to take up a career as an ordinary reporter and journalist." Sierra said, earning everyone's attention with shocked looks. "I'm serious! I literally died going back on that show! Life's too short and it shouldn't be wasted on crap like this!"

...

"Wow. A second miracle." LeShawna remarked.

"Well with Chris dead I think Total Drama is over now." Gwen pointed out with a small smile. "So that's a third miracle in my book."

"But what about now? You, Tyler, and Brick joining up with this group." LeShawna looked at Gwen. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I know, LeShawna but I need to learn how to control my new powers." Gwen held up her hand. "Even if I go home the fact is I have this power with me for the rest of my life now. Maybe there's child like part of me that wants to be a super hero or I want to make Luthor pay but I want to see where these guys...Naruto, Danielle, Terra, and Envy are going with this group."

"I like them."

They looked to see Dawn sitting cross legged on the carpet in the middle of the room. "Well I like Danielle, Terra and Naruto while Envy is a bit rude but not as bad as a few other people I have met. Naruto has this...power circling him that I have never seen before."

"He'd have to if he was able to resurrect the dead." LeShawna replied.

"Regardless, I'm in this." Gwen said. "And I think Brick and Tyler will be hanging around."

"And the rest of us?" Heather asked.

"We're free to leave or help out in any way we can. They trust us and I think turning them in after saving our lives is a bit harsh." Cody pointed out.

"I agree on that." Gwen nodded. "Let's just see where we go with them on this. Naruto's agreed to take us home anyways so let's see what we can do here."

Xxx

When everyone was up and having eaten breakfast some asked if they could go home to their families. However some asked to stay behind and talk about being part of the same group that had saved them. With that in mind Naruto asked them to gather in the backyard of the house where he could speak to them.

"All right everyone. You've all stated you've wanted to become part of the Akatsuki no matter what role you are given, large or small. That is good because we need all the help we can get. The training you will go through will be hard, even if you are not being trained to fight." Naruto was dressed in his shinobi clothes and his white sage cloak in front of the gathered group. "Now then I know many will be looking for some of you and some of you are eager to get home to see your families so instead of keeping you all here for training I have a better solution."

Everyone watched as he went through a set of hand seals very fast with the rat seal being the last hand sign.

"**Secret Technique: Reality Warp!**"

Suddenly they all disappeared from where they were standing and reappeared in a new place. They all stood in a clearing and in the distance they could so many places with different kinds of weather. In the north there was a large mountain covered in snow, in the east was a large river and a water fall, a bamboo forest was seen in the west, and in the south was a desert.

"Wow..." Everyone was completely flabbergasted at the new place they were now in.

"Wow, Nar. What is this place?" Terra looked back at Naruto. "What did you mean when you said Reality Warp?"

"It's a combination of Ninjutsu and Genjutsu that works by slowing down time in the real world to an extreme degree. The one who casts this technique can do so much more than anyone in the real world since we are not affected by being here. This entire world is created from my imagination and real world around us has been slowed down to the point we could be here for years and it'd only be felt as seconds to anyone else in the real world." Naruto explained with a smile.

"No way..." Danielle whispered in shock as she looked around. "This is just like that Tsukuyomi thing you used on me before..."

"Yes, but there is a price. Even though I have slowed down the time in the real world the aging process of anyone here is not affected by the technique meaning if we stayed here for years we'd age like a normal person. So rather than use the maximum limit which would be about three years I decided the best would be for about six months." Naruto pointed out. "This'll give me plenty of time to teach at least everyone something and for everyone to bond not only as comrades but as friends. Bonding as more than just allies is important because when you join the Akatsuki you are family in all but blood and those who abandon their family are lower than trash."

Everyone was silent in shock but they readied themselves for what no doubt would be six very long months.

"All right..." Naruto smiled with mischief in his blue eyes. "Let's get started."

Xxx

(3 Months Ago)

New York had become accustomed to an infestation that made the one witnessed by Philadelphia look like a minor issue. For the past few months it had become a killing ground ever since the terrorist known as Alex Mercer unleashed the Black Light virus. The result had been a seemingly unstoppable and evolving horde of monsters, first starting as humans being mutated into horrific creatures that were not much of a threat to a trained soldier; but then it quickly grew, producing the Hunters that could rip apart whole platoons, smarted infected who utilized guns and vehicles after the first two months, and giant tentacles that sprouted up through the streets to rip apart convoys and tear helicopters out of the sky.

And the cherry on top of it all had been Mercer himself: given powers that allowed him to become a one man army who could slay hundreds of armed and trained soldiers, thousands of ferocious infected, and growing stronger all the time to the point where the Hunters-who had once been a nuisance and threat to him, fell as easily as the rest. But opinion began to change after the first couple months of infection, when the rate of infection began to plummet.

It wasn't the US Marine Corps, or the Black Watch special forces...it had been Mercer who had saved the city.

He had begun to destroy infected hives and cut a swath through the crowds of violent monsters as they tried to spill into protected zones. Eventually the new commander appointed to watching over Manhattan made a wise decision and ordered his forces to ignore Mercer unless he engaged them or harmed innocent bystanders. With the unstoppable Mercer no longer cutting apart whole battalions the armed forces began to retake the island with the help of the shape shifting killing machine. Mercer was able to make use of military resources in return, like being given a ride on the side of a black hawk instead of slaughtering the crew to take it, or having infantry and artillery assist him with mopping up his foes.

Now he stood on the corner of a roof, witnessing the US Marines gathered below gun down multiple infected, advancing in squads to push them back towards the hive...the last hive in New York City. The entire island of Manhattan was in ruin from the months of war between human and monster, but with this it would end. Alex shut his eyes as Hunters burst out of the windows and doors, dozens of them at once. Once just two or three would have been enough to beat him, but he had adapted, grew stronger...

And so had the US Marine Corps. Each squadron of ten had been given two rocket launchers, each being put to use by the company of marines surrounding the hive. Rockets slammed into the Hunters as they charged, managing to thin their numbers and kill at least a third. But then the slaughter began, marines shrieking as they were torn apart or crushed beneath the rampaging monsters.

Alex shut his eyes, and his whole body shimmered with black-red growths that then formed into an exoskeleton like armour. "Guess they do need my help after all."

He leaped from the roof and shot down, slamming into the middle of the street as the Marines attempted to regroup. Nearly forty percent of them had been cut down in less than a minute by the sixty or so Hunters who had gotten past the rocket barrage, and the rest were fleeing. But the Hunters stopped as Alex landed among them, and quickly faced their ultimate predator. They had lost Elizabeth Greene and the Alpha Hunter born from her, so they were without the tactical hive mind which had let them overtake New York during the first month of their infestation...but they still knew how to identify a threat.

Alex stood up, and his right arm morphed into a large blade that looked like it was made of bone and muscle. "None of you will escape now...it's over."

The Hunters defiantly growled, and pounced. For a moment they looked like they would crush Mercer beneath them, but as they piled up, they were suddenly sent flying in every direction. In the middle of the madness was Mercer, spinning as he sliced through at least half a dozen of the Hunters. Their bodies dissolved into more of the twisting, tentacle like growths that wormed their way into Mercer and joined him as he absorbed their genetic material into his own.

Then his hands began a set of massive claws which began to slice more Hunters into even neater pieces. The marines by now had regrouped, blocking off the streets surrounding the hive...and now just had to sit back, watch from the safety of a line of tanks and mounted turrets, and watch as Mercer did their jobs for them. When a Hunter got too close it would be riddled with bullets or blown to pieces by a tank.

Mercer utilized all of his powers during the course of the fight, using each when appropriate. Finally he used his Whip Hand, drawing in the last Hunter. It whimpered feebly and tried to escape, understanding that it was the last of its kind...and Alex set one hand on it...crushing its skull. He absorbed the final Hunter, and looked towards the marines as they moved back onto the street, burning the remains of the infected to avoid the outbreak escaping. Everything had been put into this final operation, every escape route was blocked...

"Th-thanky you," The officer in charge, a Lieutenant, said as he approached Mercer. "We can bring in the thermal charges and blow the hive."

"Your squadrons in the tunnels surrounding the building confirmed that they have the exits sealed?" Alex asked, calling upon the combined military training of hundreds of soldiers and officers he had absorbed while fighting the Marines and Black Watch.

"Yes," The Lieutenant watched as marines rushed to the edges of the hive, knocking down the hastily erected fleshy walls that covered the holes left by the Hunters. They moved in with grenades and flame throwers, the last of the infected within howling as they were burnt to death. Then demolition charges were placed at the key points.

When the final marine was out, the Lieutenant nodded and looked to the blockade. "We're all clear! Blow it!"

An operator standing on a tank smirked as he held up the detonator. "With pleasure."

He pressed it, and the final hive in New York collapsed in on itself. What few infected in the basement were crushed, and as the smoke settled more squads surrounded the site, ready to put down anymore infected. Sensors were brought down by remote piloted drones, searching for any remnants of infection...

"...command is reading zero percent infestation within the hive." The Lieutenant smiled. "We did it...we really did it!" He looked to his troops. "Boys, we won! WE WON!"

Many of the soldiers began to cheer, dropping their weapons or throwing their helmets up into the air. News Helicopters were in the air and recording everything, allowing millions to take part in the celebration. The New York Infestation had finally come to an end after five months of continuous fighting, and the death of most of New York City's population.

Alex had silently turned into a generic marine, formerly known as Corporal James Reed, and walked down an alley. "...finally over." He sat down on a piece of rubble and looked up as he retook his human form. "Now what?"

He had dedicated his life to eradicating the Black Light virus...then again his life was technically just five months, seeing as he was truly just the Black Light virus itself having taken on Mercer's personality and likeness. What would he do now? The government wouldn't forgive what the real Alex Mercer had done by unleashing Black Light, and the military's cooperation would fade soon. Perhaps there had already been an order made to destroy him.

Standing back up, Mercer put his hands into the pockets of his jacket, bowed his head, and turned away from the site of his final victory. But he barely made it to the opposite end of the alley before something made him pause mid step. Looking up he spotted a crow looking down at him from the edge of the roof. He thought the crow's eyes were strange as they were purple with rings around the pupils but the crow vanished before he could think of what to do.

Alex stared up for a moment before shrugging and resuming his walk.

Xxx

(Present Day)

"I think I got it!"

Naruto looked up from his book when he heard Envy's voice. The Homunculus looked happy that he was finally standing on water, even though he found it hard to believe at first. Danielle had been the first to complete this exercise followed by Terra but Envy had several issues that made it difficult for him to complete the first few exercise. The biggest problem had been his large temper that made him get easily frustrated and made him lose focus.

No matter how hard he tried Envy always had trouble controlling his emotions. That didn't mean he didn't have what it took to try to succeed, in fact he was the most stubborn out of all three of his current disciples. He would spend hours trying to get the exercise right, forcing Naruto to step in when it was time to take a break, eat, or rest.

"Knew you'd get it eventually, Envy." Naruto remarked with a smile.

"Of course. If a human can do it so can I." Envy replied as he tried walking, only for his feet to start sinking. "Wha?!"

"Concentrate on the soles of your feet." Naruto replied. "Remember, gather and concentrate."

Envy hastily did as he was told, trying to keep himself calm as he regained his footing. "Damn it. Just when I thought I got it."

"You're getting better all the time, Envy. Keep practicing and you'll have it." Naruto said.

It had been non-stop training for the last week for the members of the New Akatsuki. They had all agreed to train hard to become stronger and they were making progress. The training was hard for all of them, even for the new members. However he created Shadow Clones to help them out, like showing Brick how to use a sword like how the old Wrath did in his time for example.

Tyler was learning how to use Sloth's speed but had to be careful because if he went too fast he'd lose control. Gwen seemed to be getting used to her Ultimate Lance and was having a better time than the other two. He helped them in learning about stealth, hand to hand combat, tacking, how to camp, and first aid to help them survive out in the wilderness. The rest of the Total Drama teens participated a bit in the training, mostly on survival skills and Eva and Jo liked to spar to test their fighting skills.

The non violent ones like Dawn and Bridgette mostly participated in first aid training and forms of non violent training. The training was long and hard as Naruto made sure to push them all to their limits, not just physically but mentally.

It seemed to pay off though.

Danielle had even stopped using her ghost powers in spars, preferring to learn how to fight without her ghost powers after what happened in Colorado. She had more control than the other two and often experimented on how to use her ghost powers and chakra together. She discovered that while she could use shinobi techniques in ghost form they were much weaker much like how her ghost powers were limited in her human form. She would spend her time working on controlling both her ghost powers while learning new techniques from Naruto and her determination to succeed kept her going.

Terra was making progress as her powers, probably already finished with learning how to control her powers. She finished the water walking exercise a few days ago, which she celebrated by jumping into the air and landing in the water, having forgotten to concentrate her charka to her feet. She sulked a bit as she climbed out of the pond and picked up a nearby towel. In the meantime she helped Envy by pointing how shape shifters liked Beast Boy changed into various animals during their fights and pointed that since Envy could change into any animal, even mythical ones it'd be a big help.

As much as he hated to admit, it was a good idea from a human and Envy began practicing changing into numerous animals during his spars. When he was working with the Homunculi for Father back in the old days they always had to remain undercover and keep their existence secret. Now they not only could go out but they even use their powers without restraint, something Envy almost took a liking to. He was behind them in training because of his short temper which often got the better of him no matter hard the others tried to help him control it.

When the training was over they would eat and drink before going to sleep and then resuming the training the next day with renewed strength. Naruto made sure anyone training with him was on a strict schedule in both diet and exercise, showing what types of food they could eat during the small breaks between the hours of exercise.

"You know, I still find it hard to believe humans are capable of stuff like this." Envy remarked as he stepped off the pond and onto dry land.

"From where I am from the impossible is done every day." Naruto shrugged. "How the other Homunculi handling their powers?"

"Fine I guess with their human friends supporting them." Envy said with a small scowl.

Naruto was brought out of his musings as he received visions from the crows he had sent out to scout several candidates he had read about from Blood's files. Blood had several candidates he had wanted to be part of his army as he set up his base of operations in the HIVE Academy. After reading everything Blood had discovered about them Naruto had set about locating them, gathering information first and then deciding whether or not to approach them.

'They found him.'

**"Now we just need to see how he'd react to the idea of your group."** Kurama pointed out.

"Hey, what's up?" Envy asked, snapping Naruto back to the real world.

"Just a little thought." Naruto waved off his concern. "Something's come up and I might need to leave for a bit."

"You going to disappear on us again?" Envy asked.

"Just for a little bit. I'll leave my Shadow Clones to continue supervising everyone's training." Naruto reassured him.

"Fine, not my problem anyways." Envy shrugged.

"Glad to see you have such faith in me, Envy." Naruto said as he vanished in a swirl of leaves.

"Show off."

Xxx

Worthless.

All of them.

Completely worthless.

These thoughts floated through his head as he walked through the dark forest. He had sought out his place in the world, trying to find a way to rejoin the so called humanity he was no longer part of. Unfortunately the more he searched the more was he convinced that the virus had freed him and that humanity was worthless. He had saved humanity from extinction from the nuclear threat but the more he saw of humanity as he traveled the more disgusted he became for allowing it to survive.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a crow cawing. He looked up and saw the crow flying above him with the same strange eyes.

'That bird again. Why the hell does it keep...following me.'

"You've realized that you're not alone now, have you?"

He spun around, sensing someone nearby but couldn't see them.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" The man demanded in a cold tone.

"Very well."

He watched as a flock of crows came together and formed into a human in front of him. It was a young man wearing a long black cloak decorated with red clouds, spiky orange hair, but his eyes were the most interesting feature.

They were purple grey, including the irises and sclera with six rings expanding from the pupil in a ripple like pattern.

"Who are you?" He demanded, preparing himself. "What do you want with me?"

"Do you have a purpose?" The young man asked.

"What?"

"A purpose. Something that gives your life meaning." The man clarified.

"What's it to you?" He snarled.

"Curiosity. You saved the people of New York from a dangerous threat yet along your travels you've killed without mercy and even scorned the gratefulness shown towards you."

"Gratefulness to me? They were not grateful, they were happy because they were safe. They care for no one but themselves, only pretending to put up a charade of decency." The man scoffed. "Humanity as a whole is selfish down to their rotten core. They have no regard for anyone but themselves."

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you selfish?"

He didn't answer with words but he showed how annoyed he was by changing his right arm into a very sharp blade.

"What do you want?"

"What do I want? Well off the top of my head I like nothing more than a life time supply of ramen, a beautiful wife to cook the ramen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and...oh, world peace." The man said with a thoughtful tone. "Does that come across as selfish?"

The hooded man narrowed his eyes. "I mean with me."

"With you? What makes you think I want something from you?" The young man asked, sounding confuse.

"Because you've been watching me." He was getting annoyed with this man's word games.

Didn't he realize who he was talking to?

"Oh that. I heard about you, Alex Mercer and I was curious. The man who became a living virus, absorbing living mass of anything you touch, so I wanted to meet you." The young man shrugged.

Alex narrowed one eye. "Who are you?"

"I am...Nobody." The man smirked at him. "What about you? Are you Nobody too?"

That was it. Having enough of this man's attitude Alex rushed forward and impaled his blade through the young man's chest, sending blood everywhere.

"How's that for an answer?" Alex spat.

The man slowly raised his hand up in front of Alex's face and pointed to the left. Alex narrowed his eyes and glanced to the left and saw the very same man standing about three feet away, watching him casually. When Alex looked at the man in front of him he watched as it disappeared into a flock of crows.

'What the hell?' Alex turned towards the man. 'Just what was that?'

"You've got a nasty temper don't you?" The man asked.

Alex glared at him and moved to attack again, moving at high speed that an ordinary human could never hope to match and swung his blade at the man's head.

**"Shinra Tensei."** The man whispered.

Suddenly Alex was hit by some kind of powerful force that felt like a bulldozer that sent him flying back, skidding across the ground and slamming into a tree. He wasn't hurt as it took more than slamming into a tree to harm him. He stood back up and stared at the strange man.

'What the hell happened? He didn't move but somehow he sent me flying back with some kind of incredible force.' Alex recalled what happened. 'He said something and then it happened. So whatever he did must require some kind of phrase.'

"Is the fight over already?" The man asked, staring lazily at him.

Angered by the lack of seriousness the man was showing Alex went back on the offensive. He remembered that the attack that sent him flying back was some kind of force that repelled him. He also said a few words, showing that the attack might require some kind of phrase. He wasn't sure and he was not a risk taker so he needed to understand what kind of opponent he was fighting.

He turned his left arm into a long appendage with a blade at the end and swung it forward, aiming to slice his opponent in half. The orange haired man leapt into the air, dodging the attack which was what Alex was hoping for. Alex leapt up into the air and changed his other hand into a sharp blade. He was sure he caught his opponent off guard, but he found out the hard way that he was wrong.

How did he know that?

It was when his opponent was bisected from the waist only for his body to explode into puffy smoke and reveal a chopped log. Alex landed on the ground stared at the log.

"You somehow switched with this log just a mere second before I could finish you." Alex said as he turned around.

He spotted the young man leaning against a tree with his arms crossed.

"You were able to sense that despite the fact that you've never seen anything like it before. You've got some damn good reflexes." The young man remarked.

Alex's senses were beyond that of a normal human's, allowing him to hear the heart beat of his opponent as it somehow disappeared from in front of him and reappeared behind him. He considered that it was possible this man had the ability to teleport but a log wouldn't have appeared in his place if he was a teleporter. Whatever it was it allowed him to switch with the log it meant he was more dangerous than Alex considered.

And Alex was more determined than ever to kill him.

He swung his whip blade out, aiming to decapitate him but he ducked and jumped. Alex moved faster, almost like a dark blur as he crossed the distance between them easily.

**"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"**

He heard the stranger's voice but it didn't come from him. That didn't matter though as what did matter was the blast of wind that slammed into him and knocked him down. He landed on his feet and spotted...an exact copy of the stranger next to him!

'What the hell?' Alex frowned.

He looked at the duplicate, finding it almost impossible to tell the difference from the original one at all! He couldn't even tell which might be the real one or if both were duplicates.

"Are you all right?" The first one asked with a smirk.

"It looks like he's having trouble seeing." The second one continued, mirroring the same smirk.

Alex narrowed his eyes, becoming more and more frustrated and angry at how little this bastard was making a fool out of him. He didn't look like he even cared about the fight at all! If there was one thing Alex couldn't stand it was some bastard making him look foolish. With every intent on killing them both he launched himself forward with both hands changing into sharp blades, ready to slice both of the twins in half.

They both pulled out kunai and charged at him but Alex smirked since he was unstoppable in close combat. As they close in Alex created another whip blade and lashed it out on the right stranger but he dodged at the last second while Alex's right arm elongated into a spear that managed to pierce the left copy's chest. However instead of blood coming out of his chest the duplicate vanished in a puff of smoke.

'So that was the copy.' Alex turned to the real stranger.

The real stranger threw his kunai at him but Alex simply created a shield out of his left arm and felt the kunai embed itself in the arm shield.

"Is that all? It takes more than some kitchen knife to..."

That was when the note attached to the kunai exploded, earning a grunt of pain from Alex as what looked like black blood splattered across the ground. The arm regenerated a moment later but Alex still felt the pain as he looked at the stranger with a look of shock and hate.

"How?"

"A good warrior never reveals his secrets." The stranger simply said. "You've already made some pretty big assumptions about me and already they've come back and bitch slapped you on the face."

Alex growled, hating this man more and more.

"Look at you, the guy who looks down on humanity because supposedly they are all selfish and think only of themselves. Did you have any friends, family, or even anyone that are precious to you? Or are you all alone?" The stranger continued.

"What are you getting at?" Alex snarled.

"I thought it was easy to understand. You have no one to care for or to care for you; you distance yourself so you can't understand that not everyone is selfish. You are...Nobody." The stranger's eyes stared right into Alex's as he finished.

That was it.

No more Mr. Nice Virus!

"Shut up! Shut up and die!" Alex roared and ran forward.

He was running at full speed with his hands changing into blades, ready to cut this bastard up into tiny little pieces and shut him up once and for all. The stranger accepted his challenge as he charged forward to meet him and just as an orb of bright blue energy into the palm of his right hand. Suddenly he moved so fast not even Alex's senses could detect him and slammed the orb into Alex's chest with an incredible force. Alex let out a scream as the orb tore through his body and sent him flying back, spinning through the air and slammed through several trees before he finally hit the ground.

Alex let out a groan as he tried to stand up but he felt his strength leaving him. Never before had he been beaten so bad like this. His regeneration was slower because of the attack; it had literally torn through his body. Almost at the molecular level and though he could still regenerate it was taking a little longer now. He managed to stand back up as he saw the stranger approach.

"Impressive. Not many have many to recover so fast from that attack but it managed to still injure you." The stranger remarked.

Alex grunted as he tried to fight the pain. Whatever it was that guy had him with it was seriously putting a strain on his body despite the high speed regeneration he possessed. He needed to consume to speed up the healing process but he doubted he'd have the chance so as long as this guy was blocking him from escaping.

"The report I read on you stated you have the ability to regenerate and heal any wounds instantly, even ones that would kill a normal human. I was hoping to knock you out at least but I guess I can't hold back." The stranger sighed.

Alex grunted as he managed to heal his wounds but he wasn't going to charge in recklessly. "Nothing can kill me. I'm not human anymore; I'm something else, higher up on the food chain. I'm immortal now; something meant to bring humanity into the future. I was not meant to rejoin the human race, the human race was meant to join me. Think about, no more disease, no more suffering."

"It will not work." The stranger simply said.

"And why not?"

"Because, even if they were like you some of them would still be just as selfish as you claim them to be. You just want to change them so you will not feel like the outcast, make them the same as you. You're not human anymore, you feel alone, different, and looking at everyone else with jealousy since they have friends, family, loved ones they care about. Make them like you and you will no longer feel like the outcast, no more fear of betrayal."

"Liar!" Alex shouted. "What do you know of me?! I CARE FOR NO ONE!"

"Not even your own sister?"

That question made him stop, almost turning into a statue.

"You turn humanity into something like you and she'll be just like you. Do you honestly want that for her?" The stranger asked.

"What do you know of her?" Alex snarled.

"I can sense feelings and I know that you love your sister very much. The only person in this fucked up world that you can trust. You do this and she'll be changed, turned against her will just like you were. Is that what you want?"

Alex growled, unable to figure how this guy was able to see through him. It was infuriating that this bastard could see what makes him tick but he couldn't understand what the hell this guy was.

"I don't know who you are or what you are but if you think my way is so wrong why don't you kill me?" Alex growled.

"For all these reasons I should kill you, but I'd prefer that to be a last option. You saved the world from a major threat so you've earned a chance to walk a new path."

"And what path is that?"

"A different one from the one you are thinking of taking." The stranger simply said.

"Oh really. Well if you are so sure you can kill me, prove it. Prove you can strike me down and show me that not all humans are pathetic and selfish!" Alex declared as his hands very long and big sharp blades. "SHOW ME!"

He lunged forward, ready to cut the stranger to pieces.

"Very well." The stranger closed his eyes and opened them a second later. **"Amaterasu!"**

Black flames somehow shot out of the stranger's eyes and hit Alex in the chest. Alex stopped and tried to put the flames out but he didn't know that the black flames of the Amaterasu technique never stopped burning until the target was completely incinerated. He tried slapping himself to put the flames out but that actually made it worse as the flames continued down his arms, burning their way through his skin. He let out a scream as he actually felt pain as the fire started to away at his body.

'What's happening?! Why won't these flames die?!' Alex thought as he became desperate.

He felt the flames burning his body and the pain they brought was worse than anything he had felt before. He hadn't felt pain like this, even when his body had filled with bullets piercing his skin, half of his face getting blown up, or getting caught in a nuclear explosion. The stranger walked towards him and watched as the black flames burned away at his body. Alex was grunting in pain as he fell to the ground and tried rolling to put the flames out but even then they continued to burn his body.

"When I first heard of your regenerative ability I wondered 'How do you beat someone who can regenerate from almost anything?'." The stranger started. "And the answer: use an attack that leaves nothing behind to regenerate. Unless I cancel them myself those flames will continue to burn until there is nothing left. Not even ashes."

Alex heard the stranger's voice as he was trying to fight the flames and looked up at him as flames started to cover him. "This...is...your...chance?"

"No. This is."

He held out a small scroll and unfolded it, revealing a seal. He placed it front of Alex and made a hand sign. The black flames were pulled away from Alex's body and absorbed into the seal. He closed the scroll and looked down at his opponent. Alex's human body now resembled a pile of black goo with only the left half of his head and his torso still looking human.

Alex was weak from the black flames, took weak to try and regenerate himself. He couldn't even raise the eyebrow that hadn't been burned off. He could control every inch of his body and turn it into anything he wanted but now he felt like he was just a puddle.

"Welcome to the bottom of the food chain." The stranger stared down at him.

As Alex looked up the sun shined down upon the stranger illuminating his strange eyes and giving him a heavenly appearance as he towered over Alex with a look lacking any shred of emotion. For the first time in perhaps a long time Alex actually felt...afraid.

"Heh...you spared me...what kind of...chance is that?" Alex chuckled weakly, trying to hide his fear. "I could...just...try and kill you...later."

"I gave you this chance to show you, that no matter powerful you are you were never at the top of the so called food chain. That was a belief you convinced yourself from watching humanity around you, believing them to weak, worthless, and not worth saving. No matter powerful you are there will always be someone or something out there stronger, faster, and better." The stranger explained. "I could have just killed you right then and there and I still can but that was not my purpose. All I did was shatter the illusion you created when you believed you had become indestructible with your viral powers and show you the real world, where _anyone_ can die."

He turned away from Alex and looked up at the sky.

"This world has its ups and downs but if you focus on only the down side then you are destined for a cold and lonely life. You want to see if there is anyone out there who is not as selfish as you believe, then you must be willing to see both the good and bad in their hearts." The stranger turned and looked back at him. "So then, what path do you want to walk?"

Alex was actually considering this man's words...and the option being given to him. He had been determined to bring humanity to his level, to create a new world...

But would it really have been better? He had maintained his free will and personality upon forming, so would many others. What if...what if his perfect world was just one where humanity found newer ways to kill one another? Governments would have little to hold back their enemies, terrorists could literally become bombs that would regenerate later...it would be destructive. But destruction was a natural part of humanity's evolution! To destroy one thing and replace it with something better.

It had happened to ancient empires and nations, and even the other hominid species that humanity had wiped out to gain dominance of the Earth. But would he really change anything by giving them his curse? Dana...she was not selfish or evil, she had tried to do what was right from the start and had put her trust in him despite seeing what he could do...

What would she say if she could see and hear him now?

"...Show me the other path." Alex said after nearly a minute of internal debate. "But just one thing...Dana is kept out of this from now on. She isn't involved at all, ever, in any way."

"The future can change things as it comes. She might be drawn in no matter what I promise," The stranger cautioned Alex. "But I'd say the same thing if I had somebody precious who I wanted to keep safe...so you have a deal, Mercer. Follow me, and Dana will be under my protection."


	13. The Beginning of the Dawn

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

Six months.

That's how long they had been in this world and some actually felt sad to be going back to the real world. Terra let out a sigh as she stood on top of a cliff overlooking the larger river and the water fall. She loved the smell of the river and the feeling of standing at high locations where she could see everything. Releasing a deep breath of fresh air she smiled at the serenely quiet and peaceful spot she had found.

She was now dressed in a long black sleeved shirt, brown cargo pants with a green sleeveless vest, and combat boots. She had to admit the new clothing was more badass looking than the clothes she wore as a Titan or the combat suit when she was Slade's apprentice. In her vest was an assortment of kunai, shuriken, steel wire, and several more weapons Naruto had taught her to use.

"Hey Terra!"

She looked down at the river and smiled when she spotted Envy and Tyler looking up at her. Envy was in his usual preferred form while Tyler wore a red sleeveless shirt with black cargo pants and black boots. He wore his red and white headband but his hair was slightly longer now.

"You going to stand up there all day? Come on! It's almost time!" Envy shouted.

Terra smiled and jumped down, hoping from boulder to boulder until she was back on the ground.

"You see the others?" Terra asked.

"They're meeting up right now." Envy answered as they walked through the forest. "It's about time we get back."

"Yeah." Tyler smiled. "Back to real life. Lindsay's been having fun and all but she's really looking forward to going home."

"I think everyone's almost ready." Terra replied.

The Akatsuki were ready now.

Ready to take on the world.

At the starting point everyone was waiting for them. Gwen was dressed in a dark blue long sleeved shirt and pants that bordered on black with a teal vest much like Terra's while Brick was dressed in a tight black shirt with blue military pants and black boots with an eye patch to wear over his Ultimate Eye when he was Wrath the Furious. Danielle was wearing a dark blue sleeveless tank top that showed off her now well toned body, black loose track pants, black sandals, with her hair in its usual pony tail. Alex was standing near her in his usual clothing.

Everyone else was dressed in their usual clothing but they had all come a long way since they had first come here and now they were ready to go home. Naruto was waiting for all of them to gather as he looked up and watched the sky began to fade.

"Time's up. Time to go back."

Xxx

Rain fell endlessly onto Jump City from the dark clouds that had gathered above, making it look dark like night even though it was day time. In one of the warehouses along the harbour men dressed in black with masks covering their faces carrying rifles watched as a large cargo truck parked and opened up to reveal rows of boxes containing drugs.

"Every bit of heroin and cocaine, enough to feed a starving country." A man wearing a dark suit said as he opened one of the crates. "Enough to make us very rich. There's enough that our clients in Gotham and Metropolis will pay a fortune for."

"You sure we won't be noticed boss?" One of the thugs asked.

"Nah, those snot nosed Titan brats are too busy dealing with the other freaks in this city to bother us." The boss replied. "They won't know about this until the drugs are long gone."

Little did they know was that they were being watched by a mysterious shadow. A shadow that was able to peak through walls. Bright green eyes watched as the men began offloading the drugs from the truck and stacking them along the walls. They may have been armed but they apparently didn't come prepared against a half ghost that could turn invisible and intangible.

During his time at the HIVE Academy Naruto had managed to discover the dealings of several small time gangs and syndicates that liked to use Jump City as a staging area to ship illegal drugs and weapons out to other major cities. The last month had seen many changes for Danielle with most of them she not even considered possible. The training they had been through was brutal but in the end Danielle felt she was stronger than she had ever expected. To be honest she almost felt like she could take on Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius and win even though she wouldn't want to try it.

When she completed the first three techniques along with the tree and water walking she along with Terra had branched out to try different kinds of abilities from the endless amount of scrolls Naruto had brought with him. Terra had literally buried herself on learning how to use Earth Based Jutsu while Danielle did a little studying of her own. It wasn't until after a little practice did she find she was comfortable with learning how to use Genjutsu and Naruto even helped her. Her powers as a half ghost made her a natural in stealth and apparently once she grasped the basics of Genjutsu she was surprised when she learned she was almost a natural at it.

Naruto explained to her that ghost powers were a form of spiritual chakra that he had not seen before but his Rinnegan had discovered the amount of spiritual chakra her ghost form creates forces her body to create more physical energy to try to compensate and the stronger she was the more powerful her chakra would continue to grow. To be honest Danielle was just a little intimidated by powerful she could become but she wanted to become stronger so she wouldn't have to rely on Danny or Naruto to save her. She studied and trained as hard as she could, even when Naruto ordered her to take a break or to go bed when it was late. She even branched out to see if she could combine what she had learned with ghost powers and see what she could do.

Envy didn't bother, preferring to rely on his shape shifting powers and super strength but he continued to practice with what he knew. The other new members were powerful on their own and Naruto would eventually see if they could learn as well but for now they had to learn how to get along and trust each other. At the end of the month the Akatsuki now had a total of seven members with the remaining former Total Drama contestants acting as mere civilian supporters who could help in other areas while Jinx, See-More, and Kid Wykkyd continued to act as spies in Brother Blood's organization.

Upon seeing everything she needed to see Dani phased back through the wall and slowly floated back up to the roof of the building next door. She changed back into her human form as she appeared on the roof. Her long black hair was still tied in its pony tail while a strand of her fell over her left eye while her Akatsuki cloak fluttered in the wind. Waiting patiently for her was her new friend and current partner, wearing the Akatsuki cloak like her with his jacket underneath and his hood still covering his face.

Danielle remembered how the new member, Alex Mercer had been introduced.

Xxx

_Flashback_

_"Hi there."_

_Alex glanced behind him to see Danielle walking towards him as he sat at the edge, watching the river. He remembered her name from the introductions but that was about it. Most of the people he had met were on edge but they had been polite and no one had insulted him. He could tell they were afraid but a few of them like the blond haired girl who could control the earth and the shape shifter were almost casual to him. This girl hadn't bothered to approach him until now._

_"You sit out back here, away from everyone when it's time to eat. I take it you're not a social person." Danielle said, trying to start a topic."My name is Danielle, but you can call me Dani."_

_Alex simply turned back and watched the river from his perch. Maybe if he was quiet she would go away._

_"It takes more than a little silence to scare me. Besides out of everyone here, I might be the only you can actually identify with." Danielle continued. "The feeling of being completely different from everyone around you, even the ones related to you. It's not an easy feeling is it?"_

_"...You like to talk a lot don't you? If you think you are so understanding, then tell me, have you taken a life?" Alex said._

_"Yes. A man who was infected by a virus that would have turned him into a monster. He asked me to kill him and I did, right through the head." Danielle softly answered. "He smiled as he died, thanking me for taking his life. It's something I'll never forget even if he is alive again...Would you like to know something interesting? It depends if you believe in ghosts though."_

_Alex didn't answer._

_"Ghost are considered spirits of the dead, they come and haunt the places where they died and only disappear when their unfinished business is done. People say ghosts don't exist and those that do mostly believe ghosts to be incapable of feeling like a human because we are not them. We don't have souls, bodies, or even hearts. We are just entities that simply create bodies from ectoplasm to look human." Danielle continued. "At least that's what most of them thought."_

_'Ghosts? And she refers to them as we?' Alex thought as he listened._

_"Would you like to understand what I'm talking about?" Danielle walked up behind him._

_Alex was about to tell her to stay away when she softly grasped his arm and pulled it. He turned to glare at her but his glare stopped when he noticed something._

_His hand was sticking right through her chest!_

_"What-what the hell?" He jerked his hand out of her grasp, more out of surprise than fear._

_"Do you really need an organ that pumps blood to have feelings like kindness, love, compassion or mercy?" Danielle asked. "I can tell you don't have one either, but you sure act like you don't have those virtues either. Let me tell you something Alex, I was made in a test tube in a lab as a clone to a super hero. I was used to try and destroy him by an insanely jealous and cruel man who passed himself off as my father. And even now the whole country is pretty much ready to turn me into the Guys in White at the slightest sight of me despite the good I do." She paused to take a breath. "...but I never let that get me down. Do you know why?"_

_"..." Alex stared blankly at her, unable to form the answer on his own even with the hundreds or thousands of minds within him working on the question._

_"Because we're not mindless parasites or walking piles of ectoplasm. We're people," Danielle set a hand on his shoulder. "...who are just different from other people. And no matter what they say or think, the only person who knows you completely...is you." She tapped him in the chest where his hear would have been, if he still had one. "Now the world blames you for New York, but other people know you saved the whole city. You wouldn't have done that if some part of you didn't care for saving innocent lives, Alex Mercer. So don't try to act like you don't."_

_Alex took a step back, but for once his glare had faded away. For the first time since she had met him he actually looked...considerate. He was thinking on her words, and forcing the other minds within him to be silent just so he could respond to her. He may not be the Alex Mercer born from a human womb..._

_But he was Alex Mercer now...and nothing would ever take that from him. Especially not a bunch of hateful, selfish and fearful officers and fat cats from the US Government who gladly tossed away lives and would have burned New York to cinders without his interference._

_"...Dani." Alex reached up and slowly pushed his hood back. "...you've given me a lot to think on."_

_"Take your time. We're both comrades now, I think." Danielle nodded and stepped past him to go rejoin the others._

_"Hey Dani!" Alex called after her, making the halfa pause and turn to look at him. "Thanks!"_

_Danielle didn't say anything. She simply smiled and nodded._

_End Flashback_

Xxx

Since then Alex seemed to bond better with most of the Akatsuki, watching as the members trained while camping out with them when it was night in the parallel world. Everyone seemed to grow used to him being around and even participated in several spars. To be honest there were parts of Danielle that reminded Alex of his little sister, Dana and sure enough he socialized a little more, getting used to everyone else around him. He even volunteered to be her partner on this mission.

One of the reasons they seemed to get along better was perhaps because they had both been created instead of naturally born and they both knew what it felt like. Where Alex was sometimes emotionless Danielle showed kindness to anyone who talked to her but in battle she acted cold and emotionless like he was. She never fought to kill but she would if necessary while Alex usually killed without remorse. Being around Danielle and the others had made him more self conscious now but he would kill anyone who would try to harm them now.

"How is it?" Alex asked when Danielle reappeared in front of him.

"Looks like the Leader was right. It's smuggling operation, sending out illegal drugs to the larger cities in the state with this city used as a staging ground." Danielle answered, looking back down at the warehouse. "They've got several gangs working for them and they've got their hands on weapons that would be too expensive for small time crooks to find."

Alex nodded. "Then we have everything we need."

Danielle nodded and made a hand sign. 'Pein, we found them.'

'Excellent work, Dani. The others have already found their targets.' Pein replied in Danielle's mind. 'Wait for the signal before starting phase two.'

'Got it.' Danielle nodded.

Xxx

Envy and Gaia were watching another warehouse on the south end of the city that was heavily guarded with thugs at the front entrance of the abandoned manor.

"I read about these guys. They're the largest gang in the city that have extensions in Gotham. They're called the Bloody Fist." Gaia spoke up.

The Bloody Fist was the name of the number one street gang in Jump City, known for crimes like robbery, extortions, and selling illegal items like drugs and weapons. The Titans had stopped most of their crimes but with all the super villains running around even the Titans were unable to stop all their crimes.

"Nice name. Just a bunch of idiots who make up a scary name to feel big." Envy scoffed. "When they see a real killer they'll probably run out of the city."

"Danielle and Alex have found their target." Gaia continued. "We wait until the others find their targets."

"Why bother? We can just take them out." Envy scoffed.

"We're not planning to kill everyone like mass murderers even if killing is involved." Gaia said sternly.

"Whatever." Envy sighed.

Gaia sighed as she struggled to deal with her partner's behaviour. Unlike Beast Boy who was friendly, outgoing, and funny Envy was sadistic, sarcastic, and had a short temper. Even after all this time it gave her a bit of headache when she put up with him. However at the same time she understood his jealousy even if he didn't know.

She might not be a psychic like Raven but she understood the feeling of jealousy for people who were lucky enough to have a home and friends that could trust you completely. Envy meant jealousy, desire for something others have, and that look Envy had in his eyes when he saw human friendship, it screamed out resentment for having something he did not have. Still she managed to get along with him for the most part and she's come out stronger.

Xxx

_"You want me to do what?" Naruto asked with very rare surprised look in Terra's opinion._

_"I read up on the previous Akatsuki, including the Rock ninja named Deidara. You said I need to learn other skills than relying on my powers and I think Deidara's skills will come in handy." Terra explained._

_"I know but when you asked me that I suddenly had the terrible vision of you blowing up buildings while saying 'Art is a Bang!'" Naruto chuckled._

_They were standing the bamboo forest of the illusion world and Naruto had Shadow Clones supervising the training of everyone else. _

_"Yeah, I know he was a pyromaniac but if I have a trump card with me in case I'm up against someone who can handle my earth powers then I need something to surprise them." Terra continued._

_"...Okay."_

_"Okay?" Terra asked._

_"I know you well enough to know you're responsible enough to not let the bomb ability go to your head." Naruto smirked. "Plus your thinking outside the box which is good."_

_"So you'll do it?" Terra asked with a hopeful look._

_"Sure. We just need to set a barrier to keep it safe."_

Xxx

Gaia shook her head. She couldn't think about that right now. They had a mission, the first official mission of the Akatsuki.

'Wait for the signal and we make our move.'

Xxx

In a dark alley a young woman with long, dark wavy hair stepped out of the shadows. Her eyes were red with the pupils resembling slits like a cat's eye. She wore the Akatsuki cloak over her body and underneath she wore dark blue clothing that was almost black with black combat boots. Her long wavy dark hair went down to her waist and she brushed a strand out of the way as it fell in front of her eyes.

'Honestly, how can anyone stand having this much hair?' She thought, wondering why her hair to grwo so fast when she took on her Homunculus form.

She looked across the street and noticed three men on the other end of the street, wearing masks over their faces as they approach a cafe that was still open.

'This is it. Those guys must be members of the bloody fist.' She remembered the information.

Gwendolyn Rivers was her name but during her mission she was the Sin of Lust, member of the Akatsuki. She never imagined she would live this kind of life but after what happened at the mall with the T-virus she knew she wanted to do something about world that was screwed up by people like Luthor.

"That them?"

Behind her was a muscular Tyler, with his body more muscular than he was as a human, wearing a red muscle shirt and black pants with the Akatsuki cloak opened like a coat. He wasn't Tyler tonight either, he was the Sin of Sloth.

"Yep." Lust replied. "You know what we're doing?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, Gwen. We all know what we're doing and we pretty much killed before." Sloth nodded.

"I know but I prefer we not kill if we have to." Lust said as she looked down at her right hand. "With the zombies it was self defence. If I kill it would only be of someone deserving."

"I know." Sloth nodded. "I don't plan to do it either but we all agreed to be part of this big change. They gave us all a chance to leave, even after they told us everything they were planning to do."

"They know what some people will see them as and they still want to do it." Lust whispered. "They know what kind of change they need to bring and the kind that will allow us all to go home...Is Wrath in position yet?"

Sloth looked up at the roof of a building on the other side of the street and spotted a figure watching them. "Yep."

Looking down at the cafe was the Sin of Wrath, formerly known as Brick. He had a black eye patch over his left eye, much like the first Wrath. Like his friends he wore an Akatsuki cloak and under it he wore a tight black shirt with blue military pants, black boots, and strapped to his back were two swords. He had come a long way since he had gained the powers of Wrath the Furious.

He trained in the same style of sword fighting that the previous Wrath had used in his life time. The Homunculus had shown and trained his host on how to use his sword style and even though Brick was a long way from the original Wrath's level he was making progress. All three of the new Homunculi knew what about to happen. They were all about to make a huge impact on not just the city but the entire world as they knew it.

And to be honest they believe this needed to happen no matter how bad someone might believe it.

Xxx

_Flashback_

_"You all wonder what I want to accomplish here and what the Akatsuki is meant for." Naruto said to everyone who had assembled outside, even the ordinary humans. "That's a good question to ask but the answer will not be an easy one so I will try to explain as best as I can. To first understand I want to ask you a question. Why do you think people do horrible things like killing, stealing, and pillaging?"_

_Everyone shared a confused look before they all tried to answer._

_"Revenge." Gwen answered, remembering her time on Total Drama._

_"Power." Terra said, remembering Slade._

_"Greed." Danielle offered, remembering Vlad._

_"Pleasure." Izzy spoke, surprising everyone._

_"Selfishness." Alex answered._

_"Hate." Envy shrugged._

_"Despair." Cody said._

_"Pain." Brick answered._

_Everyone else offered their own answer and Naruto waited until they were all done, even after a few said that they had no idea._

_"The correct answer to that question is...you are all right." _

_Everyone was stunned when Naruto said that._

_"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Eva asked._

_"People do horrible things for the same kind of reasons you just said because they all have one link: Survival."_

_"Huh?"_

_"Since the beginning survival has always been the first and most important thing to people even if they didn't realize it. They would kill for food, warmth, and the desire to protect anyone or anything close to them. The problem is that for every action there is an opposite reaction. Someone dies and the loved ones mourn their deaths and seek vengeance on the killer." Naruto explained. "This starts what I call, the Chain of Hatred. One person wrongs someone and they wrong them back and it can be done in anyway, extortion, blackmail, and anything else that could be done to inflict pain. Soon enough the hate becomes so strong that no one even remembers why they fight in the beginning, all they have left is their hate. And fighting causes to pain to not only enemies but to everyone around them."_

_Naruto looked around as everyone listened._

_"People start to do horrible things to people who have not done anything to them just to further their own agendas because they know nothing else, they don't know what else to do other to exploit the weak to wreak havoc on their enemies. It hasn't just become a quest for revenge; it's become a way of life. They believe they have to do these things or else they have no purpose in life, they have nothing left to live for."_

_Everyone considered his words and a few images came to mind. Envy thought of Father who desired to become the perfect being even though he was already immortal and more powerful than any human in the world. Danielle thought of Vlad who lived a rich lifestyle but still wanted to steal Danny and his mom away from Jack Fenton. Terra remembered how Slade stated that the Teen Titans were a threat that needed to be destroyed._

_"The question is how do we stop this? Throw them in jail? As much as I applaud the Justice League for standing up for the innocent and defenceless they do nothing to ensure the criminals they catch never harm another again. They let them rot in jail for a few days, let the shrinks try and get in their heads, and spring into action when the criminals escape from jail again." Naruto continued. "In their minds there is only two sides, Heroes who help arrest criminals and Villains who do whatever they want and anyone who steps out of their way of thinking is labelled a rogue or a vigilante despite the fact that they themselves started as vigilantes when the law failed them. So the heroes are essentially a shield that only defends people but they can do nothing to stop more people from being hurt because a shield can only defend. Where I came from we protected the innocent by killing but the people I knew, the comrades I fought alongside with, they never enjoyed taking a life and only did so when necessary. If we want to end the suffering then we cannot just be a shield...we need to be a sword."_

_He looked around and looked everyone in the eye. The civilians were all silent as the members carefully considered his words._

_"But, aren't you worried about what everyone will think? How can you say you must kill when you agree killing is wrong? What turns into you into someone who can kill without a second thought?" Bridgette spoke up._

_"What turns me into something like this...It's because I care so much about anyone I love that I'm willing to do it." Naruto answered, silencing her. "You ask me what gives me the right to decide who lives and who dies? I can ask the Heroes the very same question. What gives them the right to allow scum and heartless bastards the right to live so they can kill again? Do they realize that by letting them live they allow them to continue their rampage? Do they realize the blood of the innocent who suffered is on their hands because they decide to do nothing other than lock them up?_

_Sometimes the worst thing you can do is nothing. Nothing can be seen as the worst between the two choices. To simply stand and allow the tragedy to continue on." Naruto finished. "What must be done to make them see that? What can you do to make sure no one has to suffer like that again?"_

_"You're not just talking about making a group to take out bad guys are you?" Danielle spoke up. "It's about showing people that they don't have to rely on heroes to just try and solve the problem. It's not a group consisting of only masked vigilantes...it's literally trying to unite a world."_

_Naruto smiled at her. "You got it in one second, huh, Dani-Hime?"_

_Danielle blushed a bit as she smiled. Terra noticed the small action and her lips curled up into a smile. Looks like the little ghost girl was forming a crush on her leader._

_"You're right. The Akatsuki is not meant to be a simple group of vigilantes. It's meant to be the symbol of a New Dawn."_

_End Flashback_

Xxx

This is what they were here for.

To try and fix the world that has been screwed over by selfish and greedy bastards who had nothing better to do then mess up people's lives. And to be honest they had all agreed and wanted to be part of this, even if the path they walked would be bloody.

"They're going inside." Sloth said, pointing to the three masked man.

"Be ready." Lust said.

"Any idea what the boss is up to?" Sloth asked.

'Watching something interesting, guys.' Pein's voice chuckled in their heads.

"I hate it when he does that." Sloth grumbled.

Xxx

Pein had chosen to observe the Titans and their reaction to what was about to happen. But he discovered they were already chasing a thief by the name of Red X into a research facility. Using his **Camouflage Technique** Pein was completely invisible and was about to move without being spotted by anyone or the security cameras.

'I should have brought popcorn.' Pein smirked.

It was fun to see the Titans chasing Red X and how the thief easily evaded all of their attempts to capture him. Robin then told them to split to increase their chances of finding the thief. Pein's eyes narrowed as he sensed other life signatures inside the building.

'These emotions, they are not of civilians or security guards. They are malicious and they have a purpose.'

'**Looks like things are getting interesting again.**' Kurama grinned. '**There's more at work than a simple robbery.**'

'Yeah and it's close to midnight. If we're going to do this we need to start now.' Pein made a hand sign and activated his **Mind Connection Jutsu** again. '_Can you all hear me_?'

'_We ready to do this or not?_' Envy asked impatiently.

'...The mission starts now.'

Xxx

"Empty the drawer and give us the cash if you want to live!"

"The rest of you get your hands up and get on the ground!"

The three masked men pulled out their guns and pointed them at the two waitresses and the man standing at the cash register. Any of the customers instantly fell to the ground after letting out cries of shock and terror.

"Give us the register!" The apparent leader said, pointing his gun at the man's face.

"All right! All right! Just don't shoot!"

As he tried to get the money out of the register one of the waitresses reached over and quickly pushed the alarm button on the wall. The red alarm light started blinking on and off as a klaxon started ringing, scaring the robbers as they looked up at the red light.

The leader looked over at the waitress near the wall and aimed his gun at her. "Stupid mistake."

However before he even got the chance to fire there was a slicing sound and he screamed as his gun and his _hand_ fell to the ground.

"Shooting someone while they were on the ground without a way to defend themselves? Does that really make you feel tough?" A sultry female voice asked.

The two robbers watched as a woman dressed in a dark cloak, decorated with red clouds stepped through the entrance. They watched as the long blades receded back to her hand, becoming ordinary fingers again.

"Who are you?!" The second man pointed his gun at her.

"I am...Lust." The woman said simply.

The last two robbers tried to shoot her but a dark blur leapt out from behind her and kicked the second shooter in the gut, knocking him down. The third one spun to see who attacked his comrade, not realizing the dark figure had appeared behind him.

"What the fu-AH!"

A single punch from the figure and the third robber fell to the ground, gasping in pain. The second robber tried to shoot the man who attacked him in the face but the man punched him in the stomach very hard, making him scream. The woman walked over the first robber as he cradled the bloody stump where his right hand used to be.

"This is what you've been reduced to and there's no one to pity you." Lust said.

The robber pulled out a knife and tried to stab it through her heard. However she had other plans and a single blade went through his chest. Everyone gasped as the now dead robber fell to the ground. The last two robbers gasped in shock at what had happened.

"The price of someone who doesn't learn their lesson even when they've been give more than one chance." Lust retracted her finger.

The third robber tried running and made it to the front entrance before another person wearing the same cloak as the others appeared in front of him held out a sword and stabbed him in the gut. The robber gasped as he fell over leaving only one left and feeling like he was staring Death in the face.

"Do we let this one go?" The man with the muscular arms asked.

"Yes. Let him go so he can tell all his friends about us." The woman said as she turned towards the entrance. "No need to kill someone when they are down."

"Fine by me." Wrath sheathed his sword and followed Lust out.

"Me too." Sloth grabbed the robber and dragged him out with them. "Let's drop him on the police and go home."

Xxx

"It's started." Danielle looked at Alex. "Are you ready?"

"Actually that question should be directed at you. Are _you_ ready?" Alex asked, standing next to her.

"I think I have been ready for a while now. I chose to join; I chose to do this even though it might lead me down a darker path than what my family would have wanted. I can imagine how they would feel about this." Danielle looked at the warehouse below her.

"If they are like you said they wouldn't condemn you." Alex said.

Among the similarities he and Danielle had was they both lived to protect their families. Alex's sister, Dana, and Danielle's biological parents even if they didn't know it. They were both willing to do anything to protect the ones they loved, no matter the cost.

"All right, time to start." Danielle nodded.

She pointed her finger at the truck and fired a green ghost ray that hit the one of the crates and set off a chain reaction. The first crate that had drugs that were flammable instantly exploded along with the pile of other crates near it instantly exploded when the flames touched them. The men close by were either sent flying by the explosion or they were badly burned.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" The boss screamed as the warehouse engulfed in flames.

He and the others ran out as the explosions caused it to collapse and as the trucks inside were crushed they exploded, sending flames everywhere and earning more screams of fear and pain. Debris fell from the ceiling while the survivors looked around for what had caused the explosions. As one thug pointed his gun to see who had caused the explosion Alex appeared behind him and changed his hand into a spear. Reaching he covered the man's mouth as his spear went through the man's back and quickly dragged him into the shadows before anyone saw him.

He was not the first to vanish.

In the meantime the man in charge was attempting to make his way out of the burning warehouse before it collapsed on him. He spotted the emergency exit and ran for it but as soon as he opened it someone stood in his way. It looked to be a young girl wearing a dark cloak decorated with red clouds with long dark hair.

"Who the hell are..." He started but Alex appeared him and grabbed him by the back of his head. "WHAT THE?!"

"Hold on, Alex. There might be way to find out what he knows with having to consume him." The girl stepped forward. "We know you've been transporting these drugs and weapons to places like Gotham, Metropolis, and Blue Haven. We want to know who's been ordering all of this."

"I don't know what you're talking about." The man struggled to get out of Alex's grip.

"I saw this coming." Danielle sighed.

She held out her hand while Alex kept the man still. She turned her hand intangible reached inside the man's head.

"Hey what the..." The man trailed off as his eyes fell to the back of his head.

"What's this?" Alex asked.

"I learned this trick from watching Naruto use his Mind Reading trick. I can possess people while I am intangible take control of their bodies but I took it a bit further. I reach into their heads and I can see their minds. It's a little tricky because I have to rummage through their minds to find out specifically what we want to know." Danielle explained as her hand went inside the man's brain. "You never know what you might find."

"Trust me; I know exactly what you mean." Alex replied. "I gain the knowledge and memories of every single person I consume."

"Well, I can't just find it. I needed him to think about his client before I did this which is the reason I asked first." Danielle shuddered. "This guy's a creep. I can see the locations of the bases and smuggling operations this gang has set up in this city and in the state."

"Then we don't need him anymore."

Alex stabbed him in the back as Danielle pulled her hand out. Danielle closed her eyes as Alex dropped the body. She never wanted to kill but she knew this would happen.

"It's okay not to look. At least you feel remorse." Alex put a hand on her shoulder.

Danielle shook her head. "I saw this coming and I can't stop now."

Alex nodded. He may be new to the whole friendship thing but he'd make sure Danielle never lost her compassion or her innocence as long as they were friends.

Xxx

"Time to start." Terra or Gaia said, using her codename now that she was on a mission.

"Finally." Envy grinned. "So how do we do this?"

"They've gone a lot of guns, too much for a frontal assault. We'll have to be creative here." Gaia replied. "Leader said to make sure we don't attract the Titans in our mission."

"Why not use your new metal powers?" Envy suggested.

"I haven't perfected that yet and it takes more concentration than my earth powers. Using them in a fight like this would be a bad idea." Gaia shook her head. "But I think I got an idea."

She opened her cloak to reveal two pouches strapped to her waist. She opened the left one revealing it was full of clay.

"Clay?"

"Yeah." Gaia nodded with a smirk. "This is a little trick I picked up while reading some of Pein's scrolls and I found a new ability."

Xxx

_Terra and Naruto stood in a large circle that Naruto drew up and Naruto had created several Shadow Clones who placed their hands on the edge of the circle._

_"All right, Terra. If you want the same explosive ability that Deidara has we first need to draw up the seals. Deidara had a special form of chakra that allowed him to make anything he touched explosive it was actually a genetic trait. The first thing I need you to do...I need you to remove your top." Naruto said almost quietly._

_"Remove my top?" Terra blushed._

_"You know I had to awaken the chakra in you and Danielle. The people of this world have little to no chakra so I have to use seals or my own chakra to awaken others. I can use the explosive ability even I don't prefer to use it and with the right seals I can give you this ability." Naruto explained and sighed. "So are you sure you want to do this? There is no going back if you say yes so let me ask you. Do you want to do this and forever change your life in ways you can't imagine and will you promise to keep these abilities secret even at the cost of your life?"_

_Terra stared at Naruto for a moment before bowing her head. "Yes, I swear to safeguard everything you teach me, Naruto, no matter if I end up in prison or being tortured for the rest of my life."_

_Naruto smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Then let's begin."_

_A moment later Terra was sitting cross legged in the center of the circle with her top off as Naruto drew a complex seal on her back. "You ready? This may be slightly painful as your body adapts to the change. The seal will no doubt increase the chakra in your body and cause a change in you."_

_"Let's do it." Terra nodded with determination in her voice._

_"Very well..." Naruto then went through almost fifty hand seal in less than a minute. "**Fuuin!**"_

_As Naruto placed his hands on her back a golden like aura surrounded him and flowed into the seal. Terra let out a gasp, not unlike when Naruto first activated her chakra as she once again felt the strange energy entering her body. Terra let out a gasp at the feeling she was experiencing and almost melted from the sensation as the energy started to change her body, strengthening her muscles and bones and her teenage body became more womanly. Her chest increased in size, her hips widened and became taller while her face looked more defined. Terra couldn't describe what she was feeling as the ritual was finished._

_She honestly felt like she was born again._

_"Congratulations Terra, you are born again. You are now in possession of the Bakuton, the Explosion Release Ability**.**" Naruto smiled as he stepped back._

_Not only did he give her the Explosion Release but his Rinnegan saw that her chakra reserves had grown much larger and stronger thanks to the ritual. Terra looked down at her new self and quickly grabbed her shirt to cover her modesty. She felt like a new woman and that she could take on the world._

_"Thank you, Naruto." After she put her shirt back on she spun around and gave Naruto a tight hug. "Thank you so much."_

_"Now we have one more ritual to do. You ready?" Naruto asked when she released him._

_"Yes I am." Terra replied._

_"Hold out your hands." Naruto said._

_Remembering the hand signs that were needed for the kinjutsu Deidara used Naruto patiently and calmly went through all fifty hand seals in less than a minute and grabbed Terra's hands. "**Fuuin**!"_

_She gasped as pain erupted through her hands as a large blast of energy appeared around Terra's hands. The special kinjutsu created an almost bottomless void in the mouths that would instantly knead the person's charka into whatever the mouths consumed. Naruto however had no intention of creating a third mouth in Terra's chest like Deidara did. The energy surrounding both of them faded three minutes later and Terra fell to her knees._

_Naruto knelt down as Terra opened her hands. "How do you feel?"_

_"My hands hurt a little." Terra said as she opened them._

_They looked on in surprise to see that two mouths had appeared in Terra's palms that looked exactly like the ones in Deidara's palms._

_"Sealing Ritual success." Naruto nodded._

_"This is really freaky...but cool at the same time." Terra said as she smiled._

Xxx

Her right hand glowed yellow as she used her earth powers to lift the clay up into the air in front of her. She held out her left hand and Envy watched in shock as a mouth opened up and started chewing on the clay. After a moment of chewing the mouth opened up and out came five small birds made of clay that flapped their wings and slowly flew up into the air in front of her.

"When did you get that?" Envy asked.

"While we were still training." Gaia replied. "A little new ability Naruto gave me."

She then pointed down at the warehouse and the birds followed her commands, flying down towards the warehouse.

"I get it now. You're sending flying explosives disguised as birds!" Envy realized with a small grin. "Pretty clever."

"Did you just compliment a human, Envy?" Gaia sent a small smirk at him that made him grumble a bit. "Thanks."

Envy chose to simply look away.

"I can manipulate small ounces of metal because they are come from the earth but they are a lot harder to use. That's why I brought this clay." She gestured to her pouch. "Easier to use and I need to test this out."

The clay birds split up with one landing on the door while the others landed on the search lights or the security cameras. The Bloody Fist had managed to get their hands on a large supply of equipment to better guard their bases and their smuggling operations. Knowing they would be seen if they tried an all out attack Gaia decided to take out their security measures first.

"When you get the chance, slip in and take them out from the inside." Gaia instructed.

"I like that plan." Envy grinned.

She made a hand sign. "Katsu!"

BOOM!

The main doors along with the search lights and security cameras were blasted to bits, sending smoke into the air and pieces flying everywhere. It took a minute for the gang to respond as men holding guns came and searched the front yard for the cause of the explosion.

"You know what to do." Gaia glanced at her partner.

"Oh yeah." Envy transformed into a man wearing the Bloody Fist insignia on his shirt as he jumped down and slipped into the crowd.

As the guards spread out to find who had planted the bombs Envy sneaked up to one guard and dragged him into the shadows. There was a splattering sound before the guard came out, not looking harmed. He looked around carefully before sneaking off to the next guard was who farther from the group. He grinned at how stupid these humans were and how they easily allowed him to infiltrate their little gang.

He took out a few more guards before heading to the entrance that had the most guards.

Gaia in the meantime created several more explosive birds and had them fly towards the large group before she made the sign. "Katsu!"

The birds exploded, scattering the guards sending them flying or setting them on fire. Envy smirked as he slipped in through the smoke.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"

"I CAN'T WHERE THE EXPLOSIONS ARE COMING FROM!"

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?!"

Out stepped their boss, a tall muscular man with black spiky hair and wore black muscular shirt with the Bloody Fist insignia on the chest and black leather pants.

"Boss!"

"What are you idiots up to now?!" The Boss growled.

"Si-sir, bombs went off at the entrance and we're trying to find out who set them." A guard said, sounding a little afraid.

'So that's the leader.' Envy thought with a small grin. 'Just a little smoke and all the rats scurry out of their hole.'

Now how to take him out? Too many thugs still around for him to make a quick assassination and get away without a scratch. He looked up when he heard a sound and saw more three more clay birds flying around in the air above them.

'Oh, looks like Gaia already got an idea.' Envy stepped back. 'This ought to be good.'

"If you idiots can't find out who snuck past the cameras and put a bomb at our front door then it's obvious someone has been messing with our security." The Boss pulled out a gun and started pointing it at each of his subordinates. "Now...who would be dumb enough to do that?"

As he pointed his gun around the clay birds slowly flew down towards him.

'Ha! This guy's the definition of the word paranoid. He doesn't even realize how much danger he's in.' Envy thought with a grin.

"Now tell me which of you messed with the cameras or I'll put a bullet in everyone's head here!" The Boss said coldly.

"B-B-Boss, we didn't-"

BANG!

The man who spoke up didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as he ended up with a bullet in his head. He fell over while everyone else stepped back in fear.

"Now that he's made his case anyone else feel like speaking for the entire gang?" The Boss smirked.

No one spoke up.

"Good. Now then I know someone here messed with the security system since no one could have made it through without being seen and those Titans have no idea where our hideout is. That means it was someone on the inside." The Boss looked around his subordinates, glaring at each of them.

He stopped when he looked at Envy.

'He couldn't have figured out who I am has he?' Envy thought.

"You, you don't seem very scared." The Boss said with a cold grin as he pointed his gun at Envy. "Now that's odd since I made sure anyone who works for me knows exactly happens when I get pissed and what I expect."

Envy's eyes narrowed when he realized he had been caught. He wasn't scared like the rest of the humans so the Boss saw through him. Oddly enough he wasn't scared as he smirked and let out a laugh. As he laughed he changed back into his preferred form, surprising the thugs who surrounded him.

"Shit! A metahuman!" One of them shouted.

"So you figured me out. Impressive, but then again I wasn't trying too hard." Envy said, grinning at the Boss.

"Oh, and what was your plan?" The Boss leveled his gun at Envy's head.

As he spoke the clay birds came together in a single group and flew straight down at him.

"Oh, maybe watching you die." Envy replied with a devious grin.

"What are you..." He looked up saw the birds fly down on him. "And what are a few stupid birds supposed to-"

"Katsu!"

BOOM!

The clay birds exploded, engulfing the Boss and his closest thugs in flames while anyone else nearby was knocked down by the resulting shock wave.

"Nice work." Envy complimented Gaia as she landed next to him. "The dumb humans didn't even have a clue."

"That was the point of the whole mission, Envy." Gaia replied as she walked past the fire and into the warehouse. "Come on. Let's see if we can find any information on their movements."

Envy smirked, not minding that technically he was being ordered by a human. At the very least she was a strong and competent human. As they walked into the warehouse more thugs came out to shoot them but with a mere flick of her hand pillars of earth sprouted from the ground and knocked them aside. Envy used his own fists to beat down any thugs that Gaia missed while she found her way to the Boss's office.

"Perfect." She picked up several documents. "This will help out a lot."

"Can we go now?" Envy asked impatiently. "It's getting boring around here."

"Yeah, let's get out of here."

Xxx

Meanwhile back at the research facility things had become more interesting then Pein had predicted. Except for Robin the Teen Titans had been captured by thugs working for a scientist named Professor Chang. The mad scientist had apparently stolen a rare and dangerous element called Xenothium for his own uses. His men had knocked Robin and Red X out and the boy wonder had regained consciousness before the thief had a second later.

"Okay, who were the moon men?" Red X asked.

Just as he was about to move metal bars came out of the floor around him and trapped him.

"Criminals." Red X turned around to see Robin at the security console. "Just like you."

"C'mon kid, you don't think this will hold me for long?" Red X put his hands on the bars.

Robin pressed a switch and the bars became electric, shocking the thief's hands before he pulled them back.

"You don't care do you? A madman is going to use the Xenothium to wreak havoc on the city and it's all your fault!" Robin snarled.

"Don't you mean _our_ fault?" Red X asked.

"At least I'm doing something about it." Robin retorted. "What about you?"

"Sorry kid, some guys don't like playing the hero." Red X shrugged.

"I'll be back to take you to jail." Robin said before turning away and walking out of the vault.

Red X looked at the console for a second before looking around. "Okay, you can stop hiding now."

Surprised that he could sense him Pein dispelled his Camouflage and appeared at the console Robin had been at. "Wow. I didn't think anyone would notice me."

"You're good at hiding but when you're really good at being a thief, especially a very skilled one you develop the ability to know people are there, even if they are invisible." Red X explained. "You've been following the kids ever since they started chasing me in here. That's good trick there, I don't think the kids ever suspected they were being watched."

"Guess I'll have to brush up on that." Pein said with a small smile. "There are very few people who can actually sense anyone using a technique like this."

"Thanks. So any reason you're still here? You haven't stolen anything the whole time I was fighting the kid or when we were knocked out. So there must be something you want with me." Red X reasoned.

"Actually I was more interested in seeing what the Titans were up to tonight. I'm no friend of theirs and me and my group will be less popular with them after tonight." Pein answered.

"Oh, you planning on some big fancy robbery?" Red X asked.

"No, actually. We're planning something bigger than that. We stop bad guys like the Titans...only we're not afraid of getting our hands dirty." Pein said with a dangerous tone.

To show he was not kidding he held out a kunai in his right hand, making Red X narrow his eyes at the meaning. This guy was emitting danger from his very being and his eyes; they were nothing like he had ever seen before. If he was going get away he had to...

"Gotcha!" Pein smirked and put the kunai away and pressed the release button.

The bars around Red X went back down into the ground, freeing the thief.

"You thought I was going to kill you while you trapped didn't you?"

He let out a laugh that left Red X confused. This guy looked like a cold hearted killer and now he was acting like a comedian.

"I had to see how you'd react and honestly I am sure I made you sweat." Pein smirked.

"You wish. It takes more than a sap with a knife to scare me." Red X retorted as he settled into a fighting stance.

"Relax; I'm not here to fight. I have no reason to fight you." Pein turned around and moved to walk out of the vault.

"Huh?" Red X asked, making Pein stop. "Wait, if you're not here to fight why'd you free me?"

"So you can cause more trouble for the little birdie and his team." Pein looked over his shoulder.

Red X smirked at the nickname for the leader of the Titans.

"I don't have a problem with the Titans but I am sure they will have a problem with me in the future." Pein explained.

He vanished before Red X could answer anymore questions leaving the thief to ponder what he meant by that.

Xxx

Robin was not having a good day.

Well, heroes were not supposed to have easy days when they trying to save their home town from psychos out to destroy it. He had to stop Chang from firing a huge cannon powered by Xenothium that would destroy the entire city if it fired. It was not easy, especially since Chang was using his friends as hostages. He managed to stop Chang from destroying Titan's Tower, leaving only the top part damaged from the blast but Chang's men were all over the place. He looked up the cannon as Chang pointed at him and thought for a second that this was the end.

But then a dark figure pulled him out of the way and dropped him on one the floors overlooking the facility.

He looked up and though he was surprised he smirked. "I thought you didn't like playing the hero."

"Doesn't mean I don't know how." Red X replied.

As Chang's henchmen came at them the two jumped into air and kicked the nearest thug in the face before easily beating down the rest of the henchmen.

"Come on! Come on!" Chang banged the controls until they started working again. "Yes!"

He aimed the cannon at both Robin and Red X but just as he was about to pull the trigger a black spear like weapon went right through his back and came out of his chest. He let out gasp of shock and pain before falling over. Robin and Red X stopped to see who had done it and Robin's eyes widened when he saw the perpetrator.

"Pein!" He muttered.

Pein pulled his spear like weapon out of Chang's corpse and jumped onto the floor. "Hey, little bird. Haven't seen you in a while."

"Him again?" Red X asked.

Robin didn't pay attention as he focused on Pein and the now dead Chang. "Why are you here?"

"Just a little sightseeing and all. Looks like this guy's already done major damage to your home." He glanced down at Chang's body.

Robin landed on the ground and pulled out his Bo-Staff. "I don't know why you're here but I'm taking you in."

"Good luck with that, Woodpecker." Pein chuckled as he turned around. "I've done my good deed for the night. See ya."

Robin growled as he ran forward and swung his Bo-Staff. However Pein pulled out a kunai and not only blocked Robin's staff but with a little chakra manipulation his kunai sliced through the staff like a hot knife through butter. Robin's eyes widened as he stepped back and looked at his saff.

"Try to be a little smarter next time, okay?" Pein said as he vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Robin didn't know yet but this was only the beginning. Red X took the chance to vanish with a vial full of Xenothium in his hand to recharge his suit, jumping off the cliff and into the mist below. He landed perfectly on his feet and was about to take off when he stopped and saw something on the ground in front of him. It was a kunai of some sort with a scroll attached to it with a red X on it.

He picked up the kunai and opened the scroll.

_Red X_

_First off, thanks for the show you put on in fighting the kid. It's nice to see someone who's actually not afraid to state their nature and not make up some load of bullshit to justify the crap they do. Secondly, for helping the kid out in saving the city even thought you stated you're not a hero I present to you a gift. This kunai has a special power to summon me by just throwing it to the ground and I will instantly appear, I shit you not. _

_You saw what I did to the old bastard and you probably know I am not done yet. You'll probably find out later and the reason I present this gift to you is an offer to join us or at least work for us and we'll pay you for helping us out. Don't worry; I don't plan on killing you for being a criminal. If you liked to rape, torture, or kill for pleasure I would have done so without a second thought but I can tell you're not the type of person so I could care less if you stole all the gold in the world. _

_Hope to see you again and maybe get the chance to work with you in the future_

_Pein_

_PS: If you want to really piss the kid off call him Woody Woodpecker_

Red X snickered for a second at the joke before reading the note over again. This Pein guy seemed like the type who wasn't afraid to kill, something almost no heroes would ever consider. He seemed powerful and dangerous from what X saw and he was actually thankful he had somehow landed in the guy's good books. He just better make sure it stays that way.

'Something tells things are about to get really messed up.' Red X thought.


	14. Under the Red Dawn

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

It didn't take long before the events of the previous night to be known to the entire city and the news continued to spread of a new group of vigilantes emerging and effectively crippling the city's largest and most dangerous gang, the Bloody Fist and several more gangs that were responsible for illegal drugs and weapons smuggling operations. However unlike the Justice League, the Teen Titans, and any other super hero group they actually killed most of the criminals with only small time thugs left alive to be handed over to the authorities. The police also found documents of several smaller gangs that had been receiving weapons from over sea by a drug cartel in exchange for protecting their supply routes. No one knew who was responsible for this but they had been given a major clue by a large spray painting of a red cloud on what was left of the Bloody Fist Headquarters with a name under it.

AKATSUKI

The witnesses at the cafe had all reported that these vigilantes wore the same kind of cloak that Pein and Terra had been wearing when the Titans encountered them back at the HIVE Academy. That meant they were all working together and it was possible there were even more of them. Robin had gone over the reports and camera footage the instant he received them, knowing that this new group was a threat with people like Pein and Terra leading it. Slade had vanished, the HIVE Academy had been destroyed, the city's largest gangs had just been wiped out, and Robin understood things all too clear.

There was no doubt in his mind that the new group known as the Akatsuki had been behind it all. With all of the previous large criminal groups eliminated, there was a power vacuum that was waiting to be filled. And this new group was rapidly filling said vacuum as they quickly became the top news in the city as they easily stopped several more crimes and left their message for the people of the city to spread.

"Robin?"

He turned around to see Starfire entering the room followed by rest of the team. The living room where Robin would normally do his research was still being repaired from Chang's attack.

"Are you all right?" Starfire asked.

"I'm fine, Star." Robin said as he looked back at the files.

"You sure about that?" Cyborg asked. "We've seen that look before."

"It's about Pein isn't it? And the new group that took out those gangs and Chang." Raven spoke up.

"Yes, the Akat...sooki." Starfire slowly said the name, having a hard time pronouncing it.

"Akatsuki, Star. It's Japanese for Daybreak." Robin quickly explained.

Beast Boy was oddly silent but everyone knew he was thinking about Terra who had apparently joined Pein's group.

"We guessed Pein and Terra had joined up and were making a new group back at the HIVE but they managed to somehow gain more members if these reports are anything to go by. They just appeared out of nowhere and killed all those gangs while Pein showed up and took Chang out. This isn't some random occurrence. Slade disappearing when he had the city in his grip, the HIVE Academy collapsing, and now those gangs... this was aimed at the all the big criminals in the city." Robin said, staring at the footage of the three cloaked figures at the cafe. "They waited for everyone to be vulnerable and struck without warning. And worst of all X might team up with them."

"We don't know that yet. All we know for sure is that these guys so far go after bad guys but they kill rather than arrest them." Raven pointed out.

"Guess it's safe to say we know what happened to Slade." Beast Boy slowly said.

No one argued with him on that. The evidence all pointed to Slade being killed like almost anyone else that the Akatsuki had targeted.

"What do we do?" Starfire asked.

"We stop them." Robin said. "No matter what their intentions are they murdered those guys and that makes them as dangerous as Slade or Blood. And it's our job to stop them."

Xxx

"Hey Jinx, you see this?" See-More asked.

They were flipping through channels in the living room of their hideout and came upon the news report. They all watched as the camera showed a red cloud on the remains of the warehouse that had been used as a hideout by the Bloody Fist and the name underneath it.

"_In the wake of several attacks last night this city wakes up to discover that the so called Bloody Fist, the most dangerous street gang in Jump City almost gone with most of its members dead and anyone else handed over the police. Some thought the Teen Titans were responsible but it was discovered that the Titans were occupied with a criminal attacking their tower. The only evidence left behind by the perpetrators was the spray painting of a red cloud and a word underneath it that is possibly the name of the group responsible. _"

The camera zoomed in on the word under the cloud.

"_From what we know, this group calling itself Akatsuki was also responsible for the stopping of illegal goods at a warehouse down at the harbor and stopped an attempted robbery at a local cafe. Their identities for now remain unknown but camera footage and eye witnesses describe them as wearing black cloaks decorated with red clouds. We know from witness account that one is a woman who can extend her fingers into sharp claws, a man wielding a sword, and a very large man. The question on everybody's mind should be what is the Akatsuki's next move and how will the Titans respond to this?_"

"It's started." Jinx said with a small smile. "Can't wait to see the look on Blood's face when he sees this."

Kid Wykkyd and See-More both smiled at that thought.

They were officially still a part of what was left of the HIVE even though the Academy was destroyed. Blood had been busy building a secondary headquarters but they had no idea where it was yet and they were not close enough to him to find out. There was also the problem with Blood's personal bodyguard, a fellow HIVE student called Bumblebee who happened to powerful and skilled enough to take on all three of them. She was a lot closer to Blood and possible knew all of his plans which is something the three had been trying to gain.

Blood chose her because she was still under his control and her skills made her a valuable body guard and she probably had his trust.

'We just need to keep on looking like we're working for him and we might know more about what he's up to.' Jinx thought, determined to carry out her job for her new friends.

Xxx

"_On a lighter note the remaining missing contestants from the Total Drama franchise whose bodies had not been discovered were found earlier this morning after emerging from the sewer a few streets away from the Membrane Complex. They had escaped into the underground tunnels and have been hiding out for the past few days. They are now on being taken back to their homes in Canada where it is believed they will be receiving a large compensation from the Total Drama Corporation for their trauma. Rumors suggest that the money will come from the late Chris McLean's bank accounts as the producers have accurately predicted a heavy lawsuit from all of the families."_ The news reporter continued. "_Professor Membrane has offered his condolences to each of the families and vows to ensure this tragedy will never be repeated. The question now is who was responsible for the virus outbreak in the complex?_"

Barbara Gordon was at her room at Gotham Academy watching the news report. She had been flipping through channels before she came onto this report, stopping when she heard that it was about something happening in Jump City, the place where Robin AKA Dick Grayson was. She hadn't heard from him since he and Batman had a disagreement and Dick had left Gotham to form his own team and make a name for himself. She had tried to contact him from time to time but he would either ignore her or respond with very brief messages.

She didn't know much about what was going on in Jumpy City but it was considered a small city by Gotham's standards and didn't have nearly the amount of criminals and super villains running around so Robin shouldn't have had any problems. But now the news of this new group taking out the largest gang in Jump City caused her to be worried a little bit. Knowing Dick he'd go after this new group the second he got the chance and that was what worried her. If this group had no qualms about killing criminals what stopped them from taking out heroes as well?

'I need to talk to him but he won't answer my calls. I guess I need to talk to someone who can.' Barbara thought.

Xxx

"Well, it looks like people are starting to notice." Envy remarked as he turned off the TV. "So now what?"

"First off, we need to lay low so I'm giving you all the day off while I do a little sightseeing." Naruto wore a simply white T-shirt and blue pants as he stood up from the couch.

"What do you mean?" Danielle asked, turning to face him. "Where are you going?"

"I want to check out some of the cities where other super heroes live like Gotham City or Metropolis and get an idea of what to do." Naruto responded. "It'd be easier if I go in disguised as a civilian instead of going as Pein. Even if the word doesn't spread out so fast we could use some good friends."

"Okay but why not bring us along?" Terra asked. "We can come along and help out."

"I have no doubt about that but you all had a long night and you do deserve some rest." Naruto pointed out.

"I'm good and ready to go anytime." Danielle stood up and walked up to him. "You say we should always have a partner with us on any mission or just to have someone around for backup. Why should _you_ be an exception to that rule?"

Naruto had to admit he had no way of arguing his way out of that. Danielle had come a long way to learning her own set of rules to abide by.

"Come on, Nar. With Gwen, Tyler, and Brick back in Canada with their friends there's only the five of us here." Terra gestured to Envy and Alex who simply watched. "We can't just sit around and do nothing."

Naruto looked around and knew that even if they hadn't spoken their minds, Envy and Alex were open to taking a little trip.

"All right then. It's been a while since we've all had some R&R and I guess we can all try to have a good time." Naruto smiled.

"All right!" Terra pumped a fist into the air. "Where to first?"

"I was thinking Gotham City first. It's pretty much a cesspool for crime and corruption in the politics that run the city." Naruto answered.

"And it's the home to Batman." Terra pointed out.

"That human that dresses like a bat?" Envy asked. "What's so scary about him?"

"Only that he's known as one of the greatest heroes and fighters in the world. He may not have super powers but he's strong, very strong. I heard he's skilled enough that he would have been a match for Slade and he's insanely smart, smart enough that people call him the world's greatest detective." Terra explained. "He trained Robin, the leader of the Teen Titans how to fight and he's got all sorts of fancy gadgets. He might have some that were better than what we had at the HIVE."

"So if he's so tough why does he need to dress like a bat?" Envy asked.

"Probably because it's an image he associates with fear." Naruto answered. "Sometimes the best way to beat your opponent is to intimidate them before the battle has begun. That way you have the psychological advantage and can defeat your opponent while they are distracted. Much like your method of shape shifting into the loved ones of your enemies, Envy."

Envy only replied by shrugging his shoulders.

"Okay, but why pick a place like that for a vacation?" Danielle asked.

"Honestly, it was because we need to scope out the cities with the biggest amount of corruption and how bad it is. Right now, the Akatsuki is too small to make a heavy impact. Our little show before simply let everyone know how badly we mean business but if we want to be taken seriously and be known all around the world we need not only to find more members that are strong we also need to reach into the body of each city to cut out the corruption. That takes time and more people we have so in order to get the right people how do we get them on our side?" Naruto asked.

Everyone shared a look before someone answered.

"Money." Terra asked.

"Kind of. We can't rely on average civilians who believe in the Akatsuki we will also have to rely on criminal elements that have experience in stealth and covert operations. We're trying to make an impact on the world and a small group of vigilantes are not that good." Naruto continued.

"You want to make a spy network, don't you?" Envy caught on.

He knew all about the importance of a spy network since he and the other Homunculi had dozens of spies working for them when they were carrying out Father's plan years ago. The plan encompassed an entire country with smaller countries surrounding it so the Homunculi needed a method of gaining information as fast as possible.

"Correct, Envy. This world is branched into three sides: Heroes, Villains, and Civilians but there is also a larger number of organizations on each side that are either small or large like the Justice League and have a large amount of resources at their disposal. If we want to find anyone with these kinds of recourses that can help us we'll have to look at cities with a dark underbelly." Naruto nodded.

"And Gotham is one of the perfect places to start. That cities so corrupt it's a surprise to see a lemonade stand in front of a house working without someone shipping drugs in the kid's basement." Terra spoke up.

"We will just stay for a few days tops before heading out to wherever we decide to go next. We can take in the sights and see what the city is like but the one thing I ask is that all of us do our absolute best to avoid running into the Batman or any members of the Justice League." Naruto said. "The last thing we need is to have them realizing we're in their backyard. They may not think we're a problem to them yet but we'll get there soon enough."

No one had any complaint with that request.

"All right then, get any stuff you might need and meet me back here in five minutes." Naruto smiled.

"We're not doing that transport through the alternate dimension thing are we?" Envy asked sourly.

"It's the fastest way, Envy. Gotham is a long walk from here." Naruto shrugged.

"Fine." Envy grumbled.

Alex didn't bother to move while Danielle and Terra raced off to find any clothes they might need for their stay in Gotham. He had no need for food or clothing because of his nature and he was interested in taking a little vacation. Envy just wanted an excuse to see more of the new modern world he was in and to do whatever he wanted. Alex didn't mind going on a vacation and hanging out with his new comrades without having any trouble or missions.

Naruto himself just wanted to have some time off and do a little sightseeing in the cities where the most famous super heroes lived and see what it was like.

'**You know that a couple of members have a few more idea than just sightseeing.**' Kurama pointed out with a grin.

'Bite me, Furball.' Naruto replied making the giant fox growl.

'**Just saying you try and have some fun while you're on vacation.**' Kurama grumbled.

Xxx

Brother Blood unhappily stood in the center of a large room with computer screens lining the walls showing bright figures obscured by bright lights.

"So Blood, this new group was wearing the same cloaks that your two new students were wearing when they betrayed you." One of the white figures, the one in front of him said. "They have already gained new allies in such a short time."

"And they have made an impact on this country with the deaths of several gangs and drug sellers." The one on Blood's right side said. "What do you have to say about this?"

"Only that I underestimated Pein and his ability to resist me and his powers. I already have several plans to re-establish the HIVE Academy and how to track him down. His powers are too useful to be ignored." Blood stated while glancing down at the bandaged stump where his right hand used to be. "I already have hired several good trackers to look into this Akatsuki he has established."

A female voice spoke on Blood's left. "We should send Sportsmaster after him."

"He has other assignments to worry about at the moment. Allow me and my trackers to locate Pein and see his intentions." The figure next to the first one in front of Blood spoke. "They will not fail to locate him. My operative had contact with him prior to the HIVE Academy's destruction."

Blood's eyes narrowed at that. He didn't receive any information of the operative he asked for having contact with Pein.

"Good. A rogue group that has no qualms about ending the lives of their enemies and has no fear of the judgement of the people. This will attract the attention of the Justice League if left unattended to for too long. It would be better for us to meet this Pein first and perhaps bring him into the Light." The first man said.

Blood could only nod his head. He had no intention of telling them his plans to exact vengeance on Pein the first chance he had.

Xxx

"Wow. This looks really depressing."

"How long did you take you to figure that out, Envy?"

The group had come out of Naruto's Kamui and stood on a building overlooking the city they had arrived in. Gotham City had an infamous reputation for being the most corrupted city with the high levels of the homeless and poverty and the rich using their power for almost anything want to satisfy their own desires. It had another distinct reputation: the home of the hero known as Batman. Naruto wore a long sleeved black shirt with blue cargo pants with a gray jacket.

"How should we do this?" Danielle asked.

She wore her signature blue hoodie wore a white long sleeved shirt with a pair of loose black jeans, blue and white sneakers.

"Well, I still got some money on me so we can get ourselves a hotel for a few days and still enough for some food." Naruto replied. "We just have to keep ourselves from getting into trouble."

"Is that directed at all of us?" Terra asked with a smirk. "Just what kind of trouble will you get into when we're not looking?"

Terra was dressed in a black long sleeved shirt under a gray T-shirt with brown cargo pants and brown shoes.

"No more then you so don't think you can get me into trouble." Naruto replied. "Let's just see what this place is like before we wreak havoc."

"Five bucks say we'll be caught in an exploding building." Danielle offered.

"Ten bucks say we'll have to fight off a whole gang of thugs." Terra replied.

"Do you all have so little faith in me?" Naruto said with a tick mark.

"Yes." Even Envy and Alex agreed with the girls.

Naruto grumbled while Danielle and Terra traded a high five. "Come on, let's go."

It was easy for Naruto to purchase more than one room at the best looking hotel they could find in a city like Gotham. The girls got one room while the guys had the other.

"So now what? Just go out and enjoy the sights?" Envy asked as he flipped through channels.

"We all have the day off, Envy. We can do what we want." Alex replied, simply sitting on the floor.

"So why aren't you out there with the others?" Envy looked at Alex.

"I'm not a people person." Alex simply said.

"Come on. The girls are waiting for us."

Envy dropped the remote and changed into a simple man with blond hair and gold eyes like Edward Elric. He didn't really think if the eyes were like Elric's as he walked out of the room. He had a day off and could do what he wanted and the others trusted him enough not to spy on him. He just wanted to enjoy a day of doing whatever he wanted and right now he wanted to see this city and what it was like.

'I wonder what Pein is up to?' Envy wondered for a second before shaking it off and going off to find Danielle and Terra.

Xxx

Naruto himself was wondering how he'd be able to keep any money. He technically did not come from the world so he couldn't just apply for any job but his training as a shinobi had prepared him for going undercover as a civilian. He just needed to find a job that could make a decent amount of money and not interfere with his other persona.

Maybe he should become an author...

He walked down the street, watching as people passed him by without a second glance as he simply continued walking and not gaining anyone's attention. He'd soon find out that was someone else's job.

He was currently in the lowest levels of Gotham City, surrounded by buildings that were perhaps half a century or close to a full century old. It had improved in recent years due to numerous small time criminals moving away and some businesses having the courage to open up. The Batman may have obsessively followed the 'do not kill' rule but he at least made up for it with the 'scare the living crap out of every thug you beat up' rule. It was the Supervillains that kept this area still dangerous.

And speaking of...

Naruto paused, hearing automatic gun fire from close by. "...that has nothing to do with me." He looked towards the source of the noise. "But what the hell?"

Xxx

He quickly made his way to a large warehouse, managing to hear several words through the barely stable walls...

"...are the heads of all your Lieutenants." A rugged voice stated. "I did that within _two hours._" Now it sounded amused. "Want to see what I can do with an entire evening?"

Naruto peeked through the walls and saw numerous men and women in expensive suits surrounding a table, which had a bag on top of it that smelled of blood and numerous bullet holes through both the package and furniture. On a catwalk above was a man clad in leathers and a red helmet, holding an AK47.

"Make no mistake," The masked man declared. "I'm not asking you to kick in with me," He levelled the rifle at his audience. "_I'm telling you to._"

He then emptied the magazine into the table, being intentionally careful not to accidently hit one of the crime lords with a stray bullet or richochet from what Naruto could see. Then while the criminals took cover the masked man vanished without a sound, leaving behind a little wisp of smoke by the time the men and women looked up.

"...Sixty percent," One man nodded. "Works for me!"

Naruto managed to follow this mysterious gunman however. While his talent was on par with a chuunin at best, this man still needed to refine his technique. He followed the gunman across roof tops, and decided to see just how good he was...he allowed himself to be seen ever so briefly.

The red masked man came to a stop and immediately spun around. His AK47 hung empty on his back, but he produced a fully loaded hand gun from under his jacket and fired several rounds at Naruto. "If Black Mask wants me, he needs some better muscle than just you!"

Naruto managed to take cover behind a satellite dish and pulled out several kunai. "Let's see just how good you are..."

He dashed from cover and threw them at the masked man who shot them all done but one managed to slice through his gun as Naruto vanished behind a crate. The masked man narrowed his eyes as he dropped the gun.

"Pretty good. You have some decent skills but it takes more than that to impress me."

"Very well."

Naruto had taken the chance to tap a seal with the kanji for Pein written on it and in a puff of smoke he was now in his Pein persona with his Rinnegan activated and the cloak of the Akatsuki worn over his regular clothes. Pein stepped out from behind the crate, allowing the masked man to see him.

"Shall we make this a direct fight?" Pein asked his voice now completely calm and devoid of emotion.

"That cloak...I heard of you. The group calling itself the Akatsuki, those guys who cleaned up a major gang in Jump City. Aren't you a little far from home?" The masked man settled into a fighting stance.

"I come simply to enjoy the sights of this city and take in its beauty." Pein replied, his form relaxed to show he was not looking for a fight. "I heard a little scuffle and decided to see what the fuss was all about. I come upon seeing what apparently are high level gangsters getting intimidated by someone who apparently likes the color red. So what is your name? No wait let me guess, Red Fury, Blood Pool, no wait I'm thinking of that other guy, Red Punk, Red Skull, hang on that'd get your ass sued by Marvel..."

However despite his little jokes the red masked vigilante didn't get indignant, in fact he even chuckled. "I was thinking Red Head at one point but I think I was drunk."

"Oh, oh! Lemme think...Bloody Bastard!" Pein declared.

"Red Bastard?" The masked man proposed.

They both burst out laughing as they continued to list off possible names.

"But seriously though...who are you?" Pein asked after settling down.

"Red Hood,"

...

Pein cleared his throat. "Shouldn't you have a um...hood then?"

"Hey, I only stole the title, ask the first guy." Red Hood shrugged. "Or the other fifty who liked to rip it off. It's a common theme; I just made use of it."

"No kidding?"

"I shit you not," Red Hood nodded. "But back to business...what are you doing all the way here in Gotham? If you think I'm doing a bad job I assure you I just started today."

"I'm on vacation," Pein replied as he crossed his arms. "And I happen to hear that rifle of yours go off. You weren't really trying to be sneaky with that, were you?"

"Only when I have to be," Red Hood replied. "Those suits needed to see my point, and it also helped that people are usually too afraid to talk with an assault rifle jammed in their faces. The last thing I needed was one of their body guards thinking they could get a lucky shot off." He holstered his pistol. "Why were you following me?"

"I was curious," Pein shrugged with a humorous smile. "You see I was walking down on the Road of Life when this duck came up to me and quacked out a message in morse code telling me that the city needed me to find a shiny red object. I saw your helmet and immediately thought 'that duck was either stupid, or pretending to be stupid' but either way I thought that I should see if that shiny red dome of yours is what my magic morse duck was talking-er, quacking about."

...

Red Hood burst out laughing, almost doubling over. "Ah...haven't laughed like that in years." He took a breath. "Gotta admit, that made this night feel a whole lot better than it already is. Curiosity satisfied, Magic Morse Duck Whisperer?"

"Ooh, that'd be such a good story there." Pein whispered. "Gotta write that down and brainstorm, that author job is looking pretty good..." He paused and looked up, speaking out loud. "Oh, sorry, thinking out loud there. Anyways...despite what you think I'm not interested in having a fight; not with the police and not rat boy-that's his name right? I don't need them coming to break up a fight between us."

Red Hood's eyes narrowed. "...it's Batman, but yeah, I see your point."

"Soooo we both go our separate ways and call it a night?"

"You can," Red Hood slid a fresh clip into his pistol. "I'm on a schedule, and tonight's far from over for me. Now pardon me I have to go and see if my new sniper rifle is finished." He rushed to the nearest edge and leaped across to the nearest roof. Naruto watched the Red Hood as he vanished into the night.

"Well...this might get messy," He muttered.


	15. The Burdened Archer

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

Crime had gone down a lot in Jump City and its citizens took the chance to enjoy the few peaceful days they had been given. But the heroes residing in the tower on the island in the town's harbour were still at work, preparing for any sign of any crime about to be committed. Robin had called up all his contacts in the city and drilled them for information on the Akatsuki and their movements. So far though there had been no mention of the Akatsuki since they had removed almost all the known gangs in the city.

It was almost like they had vanished from the city.

Starfire was in the spare kitchen making up her own brand of lunch when her ears caught a beeping sound behind her. She turned to see the computer screen flashing meaning someone was trying to call the Titans. She walked over and pressed the ANSWER switch to see who was calling.

"This is Starfire of the Teen Titans. How may I be of assistance?" Starfire asked with a pleasant smile as the person's face appeared on the screen.

"Um...hi?"

She was not exactly expecting it to be anyone special but she was a little surprised when she saw who was calling. The person was a teenage girl around her age with long red hair and blue eyes while wearing a school uniform.

"Am I talking to...the Teen Titans?" The girl shyly asked.

"Yes, of course! How we may be of assistance?" Starfire nodded with a smile.

"I'm calling for Di-I mean Robin. I knew him...before he left Gotham and went to Jump City." The girl explained.

"Robin's out a mission at the moment..." Starfire said, confused and worried at the same time. "Who may I ask is calling?"

"When you see him, tell him Barbara called and...She's worried. Thank you." Barbara ended the call, leaving Starfire to stare at the blank screen.

'A friend of Robin's before he came here?' Starfire pondered. 'I wonder...what kind of friend?'

Xxx

Danielle and Terra were having a better time in their own little tour of Gotham and later met up with Envy who had shape shifted to keep his preferred form secret. What was the girls' current interest?

School.

More precisely: Gotham Academy.

"To be honest Terra I didn't think you'd want to look schools here." Danielle remarked as the four sat at table in a coffee shop across from the Academy.

"Come on Dani, you know we have to have a certain career rather than just working in the Akatsuki. The group needs money right and do get money we need jobs." Terra reasoned. "Haven't you been to school at all?"

"Not since I snuck into my...cousin's high school?" Danielle sighed. "But I did visit libraries when I was still traveling. I did do some reading on a few school subjects and took some online courses. When those ghost hunters captured me they put me through nearly five hours of intense study. They wanted their weapon knowledgeable as well as powerful."

"I never stayed long enough to study on anything. I never graduated from any school at all." Terra replied.

"What does it matter? So you never graduate from one of those annoying little crap holes and you think that means you're stupid?" Envy asked as he sipped the coffee he had ordered.

"It's not that Envy. How can we have any kind of career rather than some low paying job if we can't gain the credentials for it? We can't just disguise ourselves and say we know how to do this." Terra reasoned.

"You forget who you're talking to." Envy replied with a small grin.

"Of course." Danielle sighed as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

Envy wouldn't care such things like this and he had no reason. He lived for nearly two hundred years in his first life and he would have no interest in things like this. Alex stared at his coffee, choosing to remain silent in this conversation.

"Why not just steal the stuff you want? No reason to sit through boring lectures, hours of study, or the need to write a stupid test." Envy pointed out.

"We're not thieves, Envy. We're walking between the good guys and the bad guys and stealing it will make everyone more ticked at us, the Justice League even more so." Terra explained.

"Like you're actually worried about that. I've seen people steal for reasons that were actually logical when it came down to it. Saying that it's against the law is a pathetic excuse by those who have power just so that they can flaunt it." Envy scoffed.

"Want to check it out?" Danielle asked.

They all looked at Danielle.

"I can make us invisible and intangible and we can check out the school." Danielle offered.

Terra and Envy shared a look but before anyone could answer the door was kicked down.

"Everyone down on the ground!"

Two teens wearing hooded jackets came into the shop carrying pistols and pointed them at the cashier and the customers. Everyone cried out in shock as the two thugs pointed their guns at everyone.

"I said get down on the ground!" The apparent leader shouted.

Everyone was down on the ground as they walked up the counter and started taking the money.

"Well, things are getting interesting." Envy smirked. "I was getting bored anyway."

He was ready to change into his preferred form and attack them but the glass window was shattered.

"What the hell?!

They looked up to see someone dressed in a black cowl, a black long sleeved shirt with black pants covered with black knee pads, and black boots. She had a black utility belt and in her hands was a bow with an arrow already aimed at the two thugs.

"Who's she? An Arrow fan?" The second punk asked.

"Just take her out!"

They tried to shoot her but she jumped to her left and fired her arrow, knocking both guns out of their hands.

"What the..."

The girl was on them in an instant and a second later both thugs were on the ground out cold. The girl looked down at them before running out of the store.

"Well that was unexpected." Danielle remarked, glancing at Terra. "Who's she?"

"I don't know. She could be a sidekick of Green Arrow. She has a bow and arrow like him." Terra replied as they stood up. "It's not every day you see another masked vigilante in Gotham besides Batman or one of his sidekicks."

"Great. She took them out and left us with nothing." Envy frowned. "So much for killing my boredom."

"Should we follow her?" Danielle asked.

"Why?" Terra asked.

"She could be someone to keep an eye on. Look at how she took those two guys out." Danielle gestured to the downed thugs. "Should we check it out?"

"You want to you can. I'm out of here." Envy walked out of the shop.

Terra sighed and slapped some money on the table before following Envy outside. "Come on, Dani. Let's keep him from getting in trouble."

Danielle watched the door the green vigilante had left for a second before walking forward.

"Danielle?" Terra stopped and turned around. "You coming?"

Danielle shook her head and followed the others.

Xxx

The mysterious girl ran through the alleys, climbed the railings up to the roof and then jumped from building to building.

'I hope he doesn't notice.' She thought as she stopped on the roof of an apartment building and took off her mask.

The girl had olive colored skin and looked like a mix of Caucasian and Vietnamese and blue-gray eyes. She quickly covered her vigilante outfit with a long black hoodie and black pants before opening the door that led to the staircase. She walked inside and went down the stairs to the third floor and stopped in front of a door labelled 302. Inside was a man sitting at a table with his back turned to her.

He was tall, athletically built with short blond hair, the same color as her hair.

"You didn't kill them."

She sighed when she realized she had been caught red handed.

"No."

The man stood up and faced her, staring at her with narrowed brown eyes. Those same eyes always went right through her and made her feel like...

Like she was just a little girl staring down a dragon.

"I told you time and again that failure to kill means weakness and weakness is unacceptable." He stated, towering over her. "There's no way to survive this world if you let your opponents take advantage of you...Baby Girl."

At this point she was sure she was going to be punished through another hard exercise that would leave her on the ground, battered, bruised, exhausted, and just an inch from falling unconscious. However to her surprise the man turned away and looked down at the paper on the desk.

"You'll have your chance to make up for it though." He said, looking at the information written down. "Tonight."

"What's happening tonight?"

"A shipment containing something important for Black Mask will be arriving in the harbour tonight. We will intercept that cargo and deliver it to our client."

The girl knew that she wouldn't be able to get out of this one, not if she was coming with him on a mission.

"Be ready, Baby Girl. If anything gets in your way you know how I will want you to react." The man said as he walked out of the room.

The girl looked down at the paper before putting back down and sighed.

'This will be messy.'

Xxx

**Back at the Hotel**

**7:30 PM**

"Nice to know I wasn't the only one to have an interesting night." Naruto smiled as Danielle finished telling him about the archer girl.

They were all back in the hotel in the room Naruto had rented with the TV on, reporting the deaths of several known criminals in the drug trade with their heads missing from their bodies.

"How come you didn't call us when you met this guy?" Terra asked.

"There was no need to. Even if he was looking for a fight he wouldn't have done much, plus I could tell he was in a hurry. He's on a schedule and looks like it's actually a very short one from the way he was moving. And the way he intimidated those gangsters means he's aiming to try and make a name for himself in the criminal underworld." Naruto replied. "The question now is do we actually get involved in this?"

"What do you mean?" Danielle asked.

"Obviously this Red Hood is highly skilled and dangerous and he obviously will attract the attention of Batman soon enough. The question is whether or not we actually do anything here or we simply let it play out." Naruto explained. "Any idea on our mystery archer?"

"No clue. Bats are the common theme here and was dressed more like...a ninja with a bow." Terra shrugged.

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"I know, I know." Terra raised both hands defensively. "That was the only thing I could come up with."

"Well, we have time to think about that tonight. In the meantime let's actually have some fun." Naruto smiled. "I think I know of a way to make some money. Specifically me being interested in taking up a job as an author and I have few books that might be worth reading..."

"You're not thinking..." Terra started before stopping. "What do you have worth publishing?"

Xxx

**Later that night**

**9:00 AM**

"No way." Terra's eyes were wide as dinner plates.

"No way..." Danielle's mouth almost detached itself from her jaw.

"No freaking way!" Envy exclaimed.

"I know right!" Naruto laughed. "I said the same thing when I saw how much the editor was offering."

Envy was reading the little orange book and even if he wouldn't admit it there was a growing blush on his cheeks.

"What did you do?" Danielle asked.

"I presented the editor with copies of a couple of books that my godfather and I wrote. One was a book on my ancestor saving the world which I rewrote into a story, the other was the book my godfather wrote before I was born, and the other..." Naruto trailed off. "I have at least two versions with one edited to make it look like a drama/romance story while the other stays the same."

"You didn't..." Terra suddenly knew which book was the third one.

She found the book she was thinking of when she had gone through his scrolls one night and when she first read it...

Let's just say she had a few interesting dreams for the next few nights that left her sweating in the morning.

"Can you see the amount of zeroes on this thing?" Naruto held up the check for all to see. "I never thought these books would ever come in handy but it just solved all our troubles. I didn't even know this much money existed!"

"...you know I could have just absorbed a few fat cats and emptied their accounts." Alex said.

"Unfortunately not all fat cats deserve to get that kind of thing coming to them, and this was a lot easier," Naruto reasoned.

"What kind of book is this anyways?" Danielle asked as she reached for a copy of the orange book Envy was reading, only for Terra to get between her and Naruto. "Hey, come on!"

"Danielle you don't wanna-ergh!" Terra shuddered as Danielle phased through her and grabbed the book, opening it...and immediately started blushing ten seconds later.

"...I think I'll be going now," Naruto quickly exited the room.

...

...

...

"NARUTO! What the hell?! Why do you have trash like this?!" Danielle changed into her ghost form and flew after Naruto.

Naruto wisely took off at full speed. Meanwhile Envy was still reading the book while Alex simply sat down next to him at the table.

"Good read?"

"It's actually good...for a human."

Xxx

**Gotham Docks**

A moving truck swirled down the road onto Gotham Docks at high speed with apparently no regard for anyone or anything in sight.

"Go! Go! Go!" The thug sitting in the passenger seat shouted.

"Where's Raymond and Denny?" The driver asked.

"He got them. Just grabbed them up. Screw it!" The passenger shouted. "Just go, get us out of here!"

The truck went down the long ally of huge crates at high speed, unaware of the dark shadow following it.

"I think I lost him. You think I lost him?" The Driver asked.

"I think you lost him." The man in the passenger seat answered. "I think you lost him. I think we're good."

That was when the one who had been chasing them landed on the hood of the truck.

"No. You're anything but good." He said, glaring directly at them.

The thug in the passenger seat pullet a shot gun and pulled the trigger. The wind shield shattered but the dark shadow was already gone with glass flying all over the thugs who covered their faces. The driver opened his eyes to see sharp objects littered across the road with the truck approaching them. There was no time to react as the truck ran them over and the tires were popped, sending the truck spiraling down the docks with driver desperately trying to retain control.

The shadow's hand smashed the passenger window and the thug in the passenger seat was pulled out. The thug in the back screamed and flew back into the driver, making him turn to the left and the truck almost fell over and crashed with its side ramming into a crate hard enough that the back opened and a metal crate fell out. Sparks flew from the flat tires as the truck fell onto its side and slid down before hitting a wall of crates that brought it to a complete stop. Luckily the driver was wearing his seatbelt and he was not as disorientated his remaining companion.

He spotted the gun his partner had and reached out for it but foot stepped on it making him cry out in pain before he was yanked out of the truck by the collar of his shirt and lifted into the air. Looking down he found himself staring into the eyes of Gotham's most famous vigilante, Batman. The man wore dark body armor with the symbol of a bat on his chest, a yellow belt strapped across his waist that was full of handy gadgets for any kind of situation, a long dark cloak obscured most of his body, and a mask with pointed bat like ears covered his face.

"Who are you working for?" Batman asked in a very intimidating voice.

"Nobody! We was just boosting the truck and..." The driver started.

"Lie to me again and crashing into a wall head on will be the least painful activity of your evening." Batman growled.

"No, I swear to-"The driver said but was cut off by a beeping sound.

The crate that had fallen out of the truck began beeping for a few seconds before it opened, making a hissing sound and releasing steam. The top half split open, releasing an orange skinned muscular humanoid that had been in a fetal position until it raised its head, revealing dark hair styled like a Mohawk, pointed ears like an elf, and red eyes.

"What is that?" The driver asked after Batman cuffed them.

"Your cargo." Batman answered.

The humanoid stepped out of the crate, revealing its full height to be around nearly eight and a half feet tall. It wore no shirt but had green pants with black lines around the ankle length boots and stylized A on the belt around its waist.

"It's called Amazo." Batman said.

"What the hell is an Amazo?" The driver asked.

"A highly advanced cybernetic android equipped with the ability to absorb the power of super humans." Batman answered.

"What kind of super humans?"

The driver's question was answered as Amazo brought its fists together and slammed them into the ground in front of it, releasing a shockwave that travelled through the ground towards Batman and the thugs. Batman jumped into the downed truck as the shockwave neared and it traveled underneath the truck, shaking it and the thugs.

"Big ones."

Batman leapt forward and threw a small pellet that Amazo caught easily. However Batman had been counting on that as it released a blast of purple smoke that prevented Amazo from seeing Batman launch a kick up its chin and another at its head. Amazo was still disorientated as Batman put his fists together and aimed it down on Amazo's head. The android fell to its knee from the impact to the back of its head but looked back up and easily caught Batman's fist as he tried to punch it and tossed the Dark Knight into the air.

Amazo sent another punch to Batman's chest which the Dark Knight blocked but was sent flying back by the force of the punch and into the wall next to the downed truck. Batman fell to ground as he slid down, the force of the impact leaving a dent on the crate he had collided with.

"You okay?" A female voice asked.

Batman looked up to see a girl with red hair that fell to her shoulders, a dark grey body suit with a black bat symbol, black padding at the abdomen and lower back, black boots, gloves, and a black cap and cowl. This was Batman's current partner and apprentice, Batgirl.

"Need a hand?" She asked.

"No." Batman answered as he stood up.

"Okay, how about I stick around and watch?" Batgirl jumped off the crate and followed Batman into battle.

Amazo took the chance to lift a crate and hurl at the two vigilantes. Batman ducked under it as he ran towards the android while Batgirl jumped over, performing a summersault before landing back on her feet.

"Who's that other one? The pretty red head?" The driver asked.

"That's Batgirl, the bat's second sidekick." The thug next to him answered. "The one after Robin."

As Amazo flew a piece of concrete at Batman Batgirl leapt up and launched a double kick that Amazo blocked as it turned and faced her. Batgirl jumped as Amazo tried to throw her away and landed perfectly on her feet. Amazo tried to crush her with its fist but Batgirl leapt above the first as it slammed into the ground and managed to kick it in the face with enough strength to make it stagger back. As it looked up it watched as Batman fell towards and dealt a powerful punch to its face that tore away the skin around its left eye, revealing the metal platings and the electronic eye underneath.

Both bat themed heroes pulled out their grappling guns and fired at the crate behind Amazo, shooting past both sides of its head. They were pulled forward as Amazo managed to regain its sense in time to see both the vigilantes punch it directly in the face. They landed on top of the wall of crates behind Amazo and threw batarangs down at it. The android easily batted them away with its fists as it tried to lunge at the heroes.

"I think you'll have to do better than that." Batgirl commented.

"I did." Batman replied.

A single batarang that Amazo had batted aside flew back and embedded itself in the android's left leg. Amazo looked down as the batarange beeped before it exploded. Batman took running with Batgirl managing to match his pace.

"Will that do any good?" Batgirl asked.

"It'll slow it down." Batman answered.

Amazo leapt out of the fire, knocking a crate aside as it landed on top of the wall with a growl.

"You think so?" Batgirl couldn't help but ask.

The skin around Amazo's left leg had completely burned away, revealing the metallic skeleton underneath that looked completely fine. Amazo let out a dangerous growl, sounding like a lion.

"Get to high ground." Batman ordered.

They both pulled out their grappling guns, aiming at a large crane in front of them and they were instantly pulled through the air. Amazo jumped after them, instantly taking flight and leaving trails of flames behind it.

"Did you know he could fly?" Batgirl asked.

"Move!" Batman shouted.

Before she could Batgirl found herself in Amazo's grasp as it wrapped its muscular arms around her and took off into the air with her. Batman fired his grappling gun and the cable managed to latch onto Amazo's damaged leg.

"Any suggestions?!" Batgirl called out.

"He has the weak points as a human being!" Batman replied.

"In that case..."

Batgirl pulled out a pair of knives from her belt.

"This might sting a bit."

She stabbed them through Amazo's ears, earning a shout of pain as electricity sparked around Amazo's head. Amazo let of her go, leaving her to fall to Batman's waiting arms who safely glided them down to the docks with his cape. Batman fired his grappling gun again at the crane that allowed them soften their landing while Amazo fell to the ground like flaming comet. However the android emerged from the crate without any signs of damage and looked just as irate as the vigilantes.

Amazo surprised them again by firing red beams of light from its eyes that made them drop to the ground to avoid being hit.

"Lasers. He's got laser!" Batgirl stated nervously.

They rolled out of the next laser attack and Batgirl found herself praising her gymnastics as she dodged the lasers following her and were uncomfortably close to hitting her. She looked up and saw Amazo towering over her, ready to blast her. But Batman landed on its back and stuffed some sort of gray clay into its eyes.

"I don't think putty in his eyes is going to hurt him." Batgirl said as the android tried to pull the stuff out of its eyes.

Batman pulled out a detonator and pressed the button. The Amazo's head then went up in flames as the putty in its eyes exploded.

"But plastique will." Batgirl smiled. "Nice one."

Batman didn't answer her as Amazo's body fell over. He simply returned to the three thugs to continue where he left off. After several minutes he had the three lined up against a crate close to where Amazo had finally been defeated.

"This shipment was meant for the Black Mask. I doubt you're behind this." Batman said. "Who do you work for?"

"I swear. We're not working for anybody." The driver answered fearfully. "This was our gig. All our idea."

"Let it go." Batman glanced at Batgirl who nodded.

She pressed the button on a remote she was holding and the cable holding Amazo's body suddenly let the body fall down towards thugs, stopping just in front of them and spewing out oil.

"I'll talk! I'll talk! Just stop! Just stop!" The drive cried out.

Batgirl lifted Amazo's body as Batman walked towards them.

"The Red Hood. We're working for the Red Hood. We don't have any choice. He's got..."

That was when a bullet through his head silenced him forever. The other two didn't last much longer and the costumed vigilantes quickly took cover behind the pillars of the massive loading crane.

"They came from the rooftop. A sniper." Batgirl said.

Batman glanced at the dead bodies. "A good one."

He pulled out a pair of binoculars that were modified with digital enhanced vision that allowed him to see the sniper's shadow on a building on the far side of the bay. He would have thought only Deadshot was precise enough to make three accurate kills from that distance, but he knew for a fact that Floyd Lawton was nowhere near Gotham.

"See him?" Batgirl asked.

"Yeah." Batman held up a remote.

That was when Batman's ride in the form of the Batwing come over the docks and hovered over its owner. It released a cable that allowed Batman to grab and carried him off into the city.

"Hey wait!" Batgirl called out.

However Batman was too far gone to hear her, not that he would have come back.

"Right. Leave me with them." Batgirl sighed as she glanced back at the dead bodies. Suddenly she heard a noise that caused her training born reflexes to kick in. She back flipped out of the way of a single arrow that buried itself into the ground where she had been standing and landed in a crouched position. She glared up at the source of the projectile and saw two figures leaping down from the nearby crates.

One she recognized as the infamous assassin known as Sportsmaster, the other was a blonde haired girl in a black skin tight outfit with a bow and arrow in her hands and a quiver on her back. She wore a black cowl with white lenses for eyes that went to her cheek bones with eye holes allowing her to see covering her face with her arrow notched and aimed at Batgirl.

"Sportsmaster?" Batgirl got out two batarangs under the cover of her cape.

Sportsmaster was known as a member of the League of Shadows and for being a highly dangerous assassin. He was a highly skilled martial artist with brute strength and a mastery of weapons that made him a dangerous opponent, even for Batman.

"So, the little girl's heard of me?" Sportsmaster drawled. "I'm flattered...not much but it's there. I'll let you two get acquainted while I do the important business tonight." He patted the blonde on the shoulder. "...kill her."

The girl released her arrow at the same time that Bat Girl flung her two Batarangs, one of them being shattered by the arrow even as the bat themed woman cart wheeled out of the way. The archer had already fired a second arrow that took out the second Batarang as it curved in its flight to strike her in the side of the head.

"She's good," Batgirl muttered as she dove behind a crate even as a third arrow tore through her cape and left a hole in it, passing clean through the material which was strong enough to allow her to glide. "Aw man, Bats is gonna kill me if he has to keep replacing these every week." She then had an idea, recalling a tactic Batman had used years ago...

The archer was in pursuit of her, another arrow ready to let fly. Suddenly a grapple was shot up into the metal beams of the crane overhead, and she saw the flare of Bat Girl's cape, quickly letting loose her fourth arrow. However she quickly realized that all she had done was hit a decoy: bat girl's cape wrapped around a metal pipe with the grapple secured to the metal piece. A moment later Batgirl leaped down from the crate she had been hiding behind and delivered a kick to the archer's head.

The blonde moved with the hit, having spotted it at the last second and rolled to her feet while Batgirl landed and kicked the archer's discarded bow away. "Let's stop with the archery contest. By the way, that was my best cape."

The blonde archer's eyes narrowed and she dashed in, launching a professionally executed kick that Batgirl barely managed to block. So this girl wasn't totally reliant on her bow as Batgirl would have assumed. The two girls were now engaged in hand to hand combat, with Batgirl attempting to simply knock her opponent out while the archer was delivering blows that would crack or possibly break bones thanks to the brass plates sewn into her gloves' knuckles. Sportsmaster clearly hadn't pulled his punches in training this new apprentice of his, but at the same time Batgirl saw something in the girl's technique...a sort of hesitation at the last second before a blow hit, similar to herself before she had mastered her technique so that she could fight without critically injuring her opponents.

This girl was holding back, and seeing as she was good enough to knock two batarangs out of the air she may have intentionally missed while making it look good enough for her mentor...

"You're not putting your heart into this," Batgirl said as she grappled with her opponent. "I know you don't want to be here, and you don't want to fight me. You don't have to follow Sportsmaster around either, just walk away and let me handle him!"

The blonde didn't answer; she just continued to fight while Sportsmaster walked over to the remains of Amazo. Pulling out a knife he cut the cables holding the android's body in the air and easily caught it. He turned and watched the fight, frowning when he saw the blonde was holding back, again. He'd have to discipline her again when they finished the mission.

"Don't tell me you're leaving the party now?"

Sportsmaster spun around to see two figures step out of the shadows. One had long wispy hair with dark green streaks with violet eyes and slitted pupils while the other was a girl with blonde hair like his apprentice's, blues eyes, and a butterfly clip keeping her hair from falling over her face. What was similar about them was the fact that they were wearing long flowing dark cloaks decorated with white outlined red clouds.

"Things just getting interesting and the big guy decides to high tail it out?" The green haired man asked with a grin.

Sportsmaster narrowed his eyes as he stared them down. It seemed like the simple job would be slightly harder than he thought.

The fight between the two girls was interrupted as a long black spear came out of nowhere and impacted the ground between them. Looking up they saw two figures standing on a crate wall above them, looking down at them. When Batgirl saw the cloaks they were wearing her eyes widened as she remembered the rumors of an organization appearing in Jump City where Robin was that had crippled criminal activity by killing a large number of gangs, drug dealers, and weapon smugglers. The same group wearing those cloaks patterned with red clouds as their symbol. The group calling itself...

"Akatsuki." Batgirl whispered.

The person was on the left was a girl, looking about the same age as them with long black hair in a pony tail covering the left side of her face with a single blue hair staring at them. The other was an older man wearing a hooded jacket under his cloak, covering most of his face with only his nose and mouth visible.

"Alex, that's the girl who showed up at the cafe." Danielle whispered, looking at the blonde. "She's not a bad guy but at the same time I knew there was something different about her."

"You planning to ask her?" Alex asked.

"Maybe later."

Bat Girl repositioned herself, this time between the girl and the two Akatsuki members. "If you're here looking for blood you can look somewhere else." She got out two batarangs, folded in one hand together.

"She's brave." Danielle nodded to her partner. "You want this?"

"I'll be gentle," Alex hopped down, making the ground crack beneath him as he landed.

Batgirl readied herself while the blonde settled into a fighting stance. She didn't know who they were but she was ready to defend herself if necessary. Alex stared between the two of them, knowing that Batgirl was the more immediate opponent. He was proven right as she threw her batarangs at him but he batted them aside, hardening his arm and making it as hard to as titanium.

Batgirl leaped forward and somersaulted through the air, launching a double kick at Alex's face. However Alex easily moved out of the way, stepping out of the way and watching as Batgirl landed on the ground and launched a spinning kick at him. Alex blocked the kick and pushed her back, making her fly through the air before she perfectly landed on her and spun around. Batgirl quickly threw a smoke pellet that exploded into a gas of smoke that engulfed Alex.

He did not move or attempt to find her, utilizing his enhanced senses to locate her before she could make her next move. He didn't have to wait long as Batgirl leapt at him and tried to punch. Her eyes widened when her fist fit perfectly into the palm of Alex's hand.

"You're pretty good. Fast on your feet, decent strength in your punches and kicks, and you know how to react in time to save your life." Alex commented. "That's more than what I can say for almost everyone else I've fought."

Batgirl pulled her fist back and jumped away in case her opponent tried to attack her. She took a deep breath to try and keep herself calm. It was always important to keep your emotions in battle otherwise your opponent could take advantage of any distractions you show. Right now Batgirl's opponent easily blocked all of her strikes and nothing she did seemed to affect him.

He didn't even look like he was taking the fight seriously.

She pulled out her grappling gun and fired it, shooting past Alex and onto the crate wall behind him. It pulled her forward and she shot ended up flying at Alex like a speeding bullet, too fast for the human eye to see in time to block.

Keyword: human eye.

Alex blocked the punch as easily as he blocked the first one and tossed Batgirl into the air, watching as she landed on the crate wall above him. Batgirl stared down at him with growing concern as he continued to block her attacks easily and didn't seem winded. Meanwhile the blonde had been staring at the fight, not making any moves to attack either opponent. Right now she was wondering what she should do now with Batgirl occupied by the man in the hooded cloak.

"Hello."

She spun around when she heard a voice from behind her and her eyes landed on the man's partner, the one with long black hair covering the left side of her face.

"It's actually nice to see you again. I never did thank you before." The girl smiled.

The blonde was confused as she didn't understand what the strange girl was talking about.

"You don't know me but that's okay. You weren't paying attention to anyone else when you stopped those robbers at the cafe today." Danielle said reassuringly.

The blonde's eyes widened slightly when she realized what Danielle was talking about. She was there at the cafe? She didn't see this girl but to be honest she hadn't been paying much attention at the time.

"You didn't kill a couple of thugs but that man ordered you to kill Batgirl. But I can see you were holding back. Those blows would have killed a normal person if you were going all out but you hesitated." Danielle continued. "You're good at hiding that, meaning you've gotten used to this. There's no need for you to continue fighting now, you can walk away and let us deal with this."

The blonde remained silent for a moment and Danielle was almost sure she had convinced her to leave. However her hopes were dashed as the blonde settled into a fighting stance.

"So this is how it must be?" Danielle asked, a sad look appearing on her face. "I was hoping to avoid another one."

Danielle didn't bother to turn into her ghost form. She had known it would give away her heritage and she also wanted to learn how to fight without using her powers. She still trains with her ghost powers but thanks to Naruto she has gained new abilities that hopefully will allow her to have an edge. She settled into a fighting stance of her own and simply waited.

She didn't have to wait long.

The blonde started things off by sending a barrage of punches on her opponent. Danielle stepped back, dodging each and every punch while watching the blonde carefully. Naruto once said you can understand a person's strength, weakness, and motive by simply watching how they fight and what you need to do. Right now she could see that this blonde was skilled in a fighting style that mixed martial arts with dirty street brawling skills.

'That man probably trained her.' Danielle thought as she ducked under another punch. 'And it looks like he did a good job!'

Danielle was no slouch in a fight without her powers either. She looked after herself on the streets, made it through hours of forced training by the Guys In White, kept herself going when Naruto started training her, and would spar nearly every day with him, Alex, Terra, or Envy. She had a fairly good amount of experience when it came to a fight thanks to her life of defending herself but she could also tell this blonde had been put through as many brutal sessions as she had been, perhaps even longer. Danielle used a bit of her ghost powers to increase her physical strength as she started to fight back, slapping away the next punch and delivering some of her own.

When the blonde raised her arm to block she was in for a surprise by the strength of Danielle's punch, knocking her back and making her stagger back, cradling her now aching and partially numb arm. Danielle on the offensive, raining punches down on the blonde who stepped back and tried to dodge as best as she could, only trying to block when she wasn't fast enough to dodge. Danielle's enhanced punches hurt when they made contact with her arms even as she tried to shrug them off but Danielle was not letting up in her attack anytime soon.

The blonde was now copying Danielle as she moved back and attempted to dodge Danielle's attacks while Danielle advanced and attacked. Danielle was glad that the lesson she had with Naruto was paying off...

Xxx

_"Using my chakra to enhance my strength?" Danielle asked._

_"That's right, Dani-Chan." Naruto smiled as they stood out in the middle of a clearing. "Chakra is not only essential for jutsu it is also essential for enhancing the natural strength and reflexes of the body. The founders of my Clan created a training procedure meant for enhancing the natural reflexes of the body beyond what it is normally capable of by sending chakra into the skeleton, brain, muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, tendons and neurons. You have already shown me that you can enhance your strength with your ghost powers while in human form and since your ghost powers are one half of your chakra we simply need to work on combining the spiritual half with the physical half and learn how to properly direct it so that you don't end up tearing your limbs off."_

_Danielle gulped at the image. _

_"Watch me."_

_Naruto turned to the boulder behind him and held one hand. He focused his chakra into his nails and Danielle watched as his grow an itch longer and resembled claws. He then slashed his claws through the stump and for a moment nothing happened. Then Danielle gasped as it split into five smaller pieces while Naruto didn't even had a single broken nail!_

_"Ho...how?" She asked after finding her voice._

_"It starts by folding your chakra upon itself and channeling into a certain part of the body, like the fists for stronger punches and feet for stronger kicks. I folded my chakra into my nails and as a result they became as hard as steel. This can work with weapons like swords and knives too but the drawback is that the longer the length of any weapon you have the chakra grows weaker and thinner as it spreads out unless you attain perfect chakra control, something you are well on the way considering you have more control than anyone else I have met here." Naruto said, making Danielle feel embarrassed from the praise. "Your experience in controlling your ghost powers shows me you are ready for this lesson."_

Xxx

Danielle managed to pull through and she felt she was becoming much stronger, strong enough she actually believed she didn't need her ghost powers but had to remind herself not to get overconfident or it would cost her. She could see the blonde was adapting to her strength and fighting style now and started fighting back. Meanwhile Gaia and Envy were getting ready to take on Sportsmaster who pulled out a small rod that extended into a javelin.

"This can go down in two ways. You let me take the android or the police finds your corpses." Sportsmaster said.

"Oooohhh! A feisty one, huh? We'll see about that." Envy said as he stepped forward with a sneer. "Let's see how well you humans fight compared to the good old days."

Gaia stood back, keenly observing the two opponents as they prepared to fight. Preferring to end this fight as soon as possible Sportsmaster threw the javelin through the air at high speed. Envy however simply ducked under it, thanks to his superhuman speed and didn't turn around as it flew past Gaia and went right through a crate. Sportsmaster went on the offensive as he launched the first punch at Envy who manoeuvred out of the way and quickly started dodging the punches and kicks aimed at him.

"Hey, you're pretty good!" Envy said as he moved out of the way of another punch.

If there was one thing Envy could count on in a fight was that his favourite form was light on its feet and allowed him to easily dodge most attacks from opponents. But it also allowed for another neat trick...

"Ha!"

Sportsmaster stepped back as Envy's right arm changed in a flash of light and morphed into a dangerous looking blade. Envy swung it at his chest but Sportsmaster dodged by jumping back. Envy was not done as he charged forward, intent on taking him out. Sportsmaster pulled out another javelin and aimed to stab Envy through the head with it. However before he could a wall of earth sprouted up in front of him, surprising for a mere second before he spotted Gaia through the corner of his eyes, seeing her eyes and hands glowing.

The wall instantly shattered as giant green fist broke through it and managed to hit Sportsmaster's shoulder as he swung his javelin, cutting the arm. He flew back but easily landed on his feet, watching as giant green fist shrunk back down to the size of a normal sized human arm. The cut he made healed instantly as the fist changed back, leaving no sigh of damage.

"Damn. You managed to keep yourself from getting killed from that. Almost thought I had you." Envy commented. "Doesn't look like my punch did much."

So they were both metahumans. One apparently had shape shifting powers along with super strength and regeneration while the other seemed to have earth based powers. Sportsmaster remained quiet as he gripped his javelin, ready for anything the two would throw at him.

"Be careful, Envy. He's an experienced fighter and it's going to be difficult even if we double team him." Gaia said as she reached into her cloak.

This man had the same cold calculating aura that Slade gave off when he was training her.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it." Envy waved her off.

Envy charged forward, changing his right arm into a green tentacle whip and swung it Sportsmaster who twirled his javelin in his hands and blocked the whip. He grabbed the tentacle and pulled Envy towards him, aiming to impale the Homunculus through the chest. However a stone hand erupted from the ground and grabbed his arms, making him let go of the tentacle and his javelin. Envy grinned as he angled his body and pointed his feet at Sportsmaster's face.

The assassin easily broke free and launched his fist forward, colliding with Envy's feet. Both attacks were equal strength and released a shockwave of air that sent dust flying in every direction. Envy flew back through the air, spinning wildly but landed perfectly on his feet.

"Not bad. I think my feet actually feel a little numb." Envy commented as he straightened himself up.

Sportsmaster charged forward, not wanting to waste anymore time. Envy didn't move but he spotted what looked birds flying towards him from Gaia whose eyes and hands were glowing yellow again.

She made a hand sign. "Katsu!"

The birds instantly exploded, scorching crates, and stopping the other fights as they all turned to see what was going on. Sportsmaster had jumped back before the birds exploded, avoiding any form of injury. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to listen for the sound of movement. He heard a fluttering sound and looked up see a simple crow flying above him. He almost paid it no mind until it suddenly was enveloped in red light and changed into Envy.

"Surprise!"

He aimed a kick down at Sportsmaster who jumped back again, knowing now just how strong Envy really was. The kick left a small crater the instant Envy's foot made contact with the ground. He was about to attack again but the ground up underneath him and he almost fell in.

Luckily he reached out and grabbed the edge before he fell in completely. "Gahhhh, is the ground always this fragile in Gotham?!"

"Makes a convenient tense 'hang off the cliff' scene," Gaia shrugged as she had a rock levitate up under Envy, catching him and raising him out of the hole that Envy had made.

"Real strong, bit clumsy though." Sportsmaster commented as he produced a discus.

"Oh and let me guess: that's an explosive disc." Envy drawled, hands on his hips.

"You wish," Sportsmaster threw the discus, and though Gaia dodged it she felt the wire against her side before the whole thing wrapped around her, pinning her arms and sending her flying off her feet as Sportsmaster sent her barreling into Envy.

The two Akatsuki members slammed into a nearby crate, Envy taking the brunt of the impact while Gaia made a simply clay barrier that absorbed her landing's impact. They launched back off of the metal crate, easily breaking free from the wires thanks to Gaia's powers and landed on either side of Sportsmaster.

"I'm really in a bit of rush here so I think I'll just end this." Sportsmaster pulled a spiked ball with a chain attached to it and twirled it in the air.

"Funny. I was thinking the exact same thing." As Gaia said that pieces of earth floated up around her and molded together.

A large spinning top floated on her right side while a large rectangle floated on her left side. She thrust her left arm forward and the rectangle shot at Sportsmaster who leapt onto a crate and shot up over the flying rectangle. The spinning top then flew at him but he threw several explosives that shattered the top easily. He landed on top of the crate wall and was about to move when something happened.

The ground underneath the body of Amazo opened up and swallowed the remains before coming back together and crushing it. Sportsmaster looked down at Gaia, realizing she set those things up to distract him while she destroyed what her clients sent him to retrieve. The blonde fighting Danielle stopped and watched as Sportsmaster let out a large grunt.

Batgirl and Alex turned and watched as the man stared at where Amazo's body had been before turning back to look at Gaia and Envy. "That was something you shouldn't have done."

"Perhaps, but if they hadn't I would have."

Everyone looked up as Batman landed on the metal crate wall, staring down at the fighters. His eyes narrowed when he looked at the Akatsuki members.

"Well, well, the human who likes to dress up as a big bad bat." Envy grinned. "You're a little late for the party you know? Running off like that when things were getting interesting."

Batman looked at Batgirl, looking to see if she was injured. Aside from her missing cape she was fine as both the blonde and Alex held back when fighting her.

"We're leaving." Sportsmaster said, turning around and making a run for it.

The blonde instantly took off after him as they tried to escape.

"I don't think so..." Envy morphed his arms into blades.

"Stop Envy."

Envy had a confused look on his face as he, Gaia, and Alex looked at Danielle.

"If you go after them now we'll end up fighting them along with Batman and Batgirl. Even if we slip by them and chase those two through Gotham we'll end up attracting every police officer in the city. We came here to observe and then helped stop those two from getting the android's body so our part is now done." Danielle explained calmly. "We didn't come here to fight a war."

Alex walked up next to Danielle as she finished, looking her over. She was perfectly calm and in control and she was right. He had no interest in fighting a war just to catch two assassins who managed to slip past them. It's a good thing they had her to keep things under wraps, even he might get carried from all the fighting.

"It's time we go." Danielle said.

"You're not going anywhere." Batman spoke up.

"That's not up to you."

Batman looked behind him as the Akatsuki Leader Pein appeared out some kind of distortion.

"Pleasure to meet you, Batman." Pein said neutrally.

"Pein." Batman stated.

All though the group was relatively new Batman researched the criminal database almost daily and knew about the new updates supplied by Robin. The latest update suggested that man known as Pein was the Leader of the Akatsuki based Robin's observation of how the group and the fact that Pein was most likely the strongest.

"What she said is true, Batman. We did not come here to start a fight, simply to take a break. However I believed it was best to step in and make sure the android's body was destroyed before it fell into the wrong hands." Pein calmly explained. "Now that it is done we have no reason to stay."

"I said you're not going anywhere." Batman pulled out a batarang.

"And I said it's not up to you."

Danielle threw a kunai on the ground and faster than the eye could possibly hope to see Pein vanished and appeared next to the rest of the Akatsuki members.

"You should concentrate on the Red Hood first before going after us Dark Knight. He's more of a danger to you than us." Pein said before they all vanished instantly.

Batman stared at where they had been for a second before turning to leave with Batgirl following him.

Xxx

"Well that was something new." Envy fell onto the couch. "Why did we have to pull out? We could have taken those humans easily."

"Did you forget that we want to avoid contact with the bats we're here?" Terra sat next to him. "He'll probably be looking all over the city for us."

"Not likely Terra." Naruto was back in his normal appearance as he walked into the room and sat on a nice comfy chair. "Not if he wants to lose the man who shot those guys."

"Was it that Red Hood again?" Danielle and Alex were leaning against the counter.

"Yep. The guy led the bat all over the city and into a chemical plant where he proceeded to blow it up. Bats survived but for the moment he might consider the Hood guy a more serious threat. This frees up time for us to have a little more R&R around her." Naruto smiled. "The bats only come out at night so let's just rest and then enjoy the day tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me." Alex shrugged.

"Whatever." Envy frowned. "But I would have liked to figure out who those two were. They both knew how to fight, almost better than any other human I've seen."

"They were assassins, that much I could tell. The big guy reminded me a little of Slade and that girl was the same one who stopped those robbers at the cafe we were at." Terra answered. "They were not some small time thugs, they were the real deal. Tough enough to take us on even when some of us were holding back."

"The girl...she's not an assassin." Danielle replied slowly, making everyone look at her.

"How do you know?" Envy asked.

"She doesn't have the eyes of an assassin. She has the same eyes...as us." Danielle tried to explain. "I don't know how but when I look at her...It's like I'm looking at you guys ."

"...She did hold back on Batgirl. I saw the way she was fighting and I could tell if she wanted to hurt her she would have." Terra pointed out. "Well they both held back but you know what I mean."

"So now what?" Envy asked.

"There's not much we can do at this point. We've done more than enough for this night and we've possibly gained the attention of more than just Batman." Naruto answered. "At this point we just sit, try to have some down time and wait for things to clear up. We'll have a better understanding if we wait and watch." He smiled. "And I left a little something to take care of that while we take a break."

Xxx

Batman and Batgirl had returned to the Batcave following the events at the docks. Batman had taken his mask off, revealing the face of Bruce Wayne who sat at the Batcave's main computer, looking at the screen intently. On the main screen were the images of the Red Hood, Sportsmaster, the blonde archer, and the four Akatuki members. The fact that he left Batgirl alone on the docks did not sit well with him, no matter how he trained her since he left her in danger of being hurt by several dangerous criminals. There was also the matter of the new Red Hood, a dangerous new player who was able to avoid him no matter how hard he chased him down.

Too many things happening in one night for even him to keep track of.

Sportsmaster was a dangerous assassin who often worked for the League of Shadows and one of the world's best assassins and was on the wanted list of a dozen countries. The blonde he had with him seemed to be an apprentice and he could tell she had been trained really well, especially with how to use a bow and arrow. And the ones wearing the cloaks...

"I was worried when the news about what happened in Jump City first came on TV. I wondered if it was a small time thing or if Robin really was in danger." Batgirl, Barbara Gordon stood next to Bruce. "That was a just a few days ago and they're already in Gotham. How did they get here so fast?"

"I don't know but they are not the only concern." Batman enhanced the image of the final rogue. "The Red Hood."

"He sure bears a resemblance to the original." Barbara noted.

"Several criminals have utilized this persona." Bruce brought several images of the past incarnations. "One in particular."

"But he's locked up." Barbara pointed out.

"Not his MO either." Bruce agreed. "There's been an uptake in criminal activity, crime is down. And then there's the appearance of Sportsmaster and the so called Akatsuki."

"There are only five of them here but there were more back in Jump City." Barbara noted. "Robin's already uploaded what he knows into the criminal database."

"I know." Batman brought up the information. "The one with the orange hair and ringed eyes is Pein while the blonde haired girl is Terra, a former member of the Titans before she betrayed them to Deathstroke."

The other three were not logged into the database but from Batgirl's own account of the fight and his last minute observations he was able to get a good idea of how skilled they might be. The green haired one who was working with Terra had super strength along with shape shifting abilities while the other two seemed skilled in hand to hand combat. The one wearing the hooded jacket under his cloak also appeared to have brute strength and the dark haired girl appeared to have a talent in stealth. And the final one, the apparent leader known as Pein was perhaps as skilled as he was in stealth and according to Robin he had the ability to teleport and control gravity.

"Deathstroke? I thought his name was Slade." Barbara looked confused.

"I did some digging. Slade Wilson is the actual name for an assassin, top of the line and extremely dangerous. His codename is Deathstroke." Bruce answered.

"So why didn't Dick figure this out?" Barbara asked.

"Probably because no one but a handful knew that Slade Wilson had any connection to the dangerous assassin." Bruce replied. "He disappeared almost a month ago and Robin already believes it to be the work of the Akatsuki."

"And now they're here. You think they heard of the shipment carrying that Amazo?" Barbara asked.

"No. They only came to watch and got caught up in the fight. They destroyed the android's remains before the Sportsmaster could take it." Bruce continued. "Still, the fact that they have arrived in Gotham so fast is disturbing."

"You think they have anything to do with the decrease in crime?" Barbara asked.

"No. It's too soon." Bruce put his mask back on as he stood up. "This new Red Hood's activities started before the Akatsuki's appearance in Jump City. They couldn't have had the time to do anything here in such a short amount of time."

"Well I guess the only we can do at this point is look into this Red Hood...Does this mean we're going to see...him?" Batgirl turned around and saw her mentor already starting up the Batmobile. "Could you for once just say get in the car?"

She let out a sigh as she put her mask back on and jumped into the passenger seat. "I think I'm beginning to see why Dick left."

Batman didn't say anything as he drove the Batmobile out of the Batcave.

Xxx

THUD!

This time he didn't break any bones at least. The blonde was thankful for this as she bounced off of the back wall of the hideout Sportsmaster kept in an abandoned apartment complex. She crumpled to the floor with a grunt and squeezed her eyes shut. Her mask was tossed aside, showing off her face and the small red marking on her left cheek.

"You held back again." Sportsmaster said in his usual cold tone of voice as he walked over to her. "That hurts me, Artemis. It really does. Do you know why?"

Sucking in a breath, the girl named Artemis glared up at him through one eye. "No. Sir. I don't."

A lie, but she was leading him along.

He grabbed her ponytail and tugged her up as she groaned in discomfort. "Because every time you mess up or pull a punch, it leads back to the idea that I'm losing my edge." He punched her in the ribs again, so hard that her feet flew out from under her barely a second after she had them planted on the floor. "And when people think that I've lost my edge, money becomes harder to come by; and so does respect but you do a good job of creating that little gap already."

Artemis forced herself back up onto her knees, one hand on her ribs as she fought down the urge to vomit. "Gee, guess I still don't do hard enough if you got hired for that last-" He had reared back his foot for another kick, and she leaped up, twisting her body and kicking the large man in his mask protected face with both feet, and then vaulting off and landing where her bow had been discarded when the beating began.

Sportsmaster's eyes visibly narrowed, and beneath his mask his mouth drew up into a smirk as he cracked his knuckles. Artemis was gripping her bow in both hands, but rather than notching an arrow back she darted forward and began to use it as an improvised melee weapon. She used her natural speed and flexibility to avoid Sportsmaster's powerful hits, though he was no slow poke himself. Still, when he threw a punch it broke through a wall or smashed furniture into splinters, all the while he never flinched even when his bones ached and his skin bled.

Finally Artemis did a handless cartwheel away from her father. In that single motion she kicked him in his jaw and reached down, drawing an arrow from her quiver where it was leaning against a chair's side. When she landed on the couch she had the arrow aimed directly at her father, who was aiming a large calibre handgun at her.

...

He lowered it. "You're not using the sharp one."

She released the arrow, but he caught it inches from his chest. "And you should have aimed for my throat instead of my armored abdomen."

He dropped the arrow on the ground and turned away. "The very least you could have done was aim for a part that would have paralyzed me."

Artemis slowly lowered her bow and that was her mistake.

Sportsmaster spun around and backhanded her into the wall. "And your final mistake was letting your guard down just because you believed the fight was over."

Artemis let out a cough as she struggled to get back up.

"Tonight's blunder would usually mean more punishment but since we ended up with more bugs in the way you're getting off easily this time. But the next time we're on the Job you'll do it right and this time I'll be watching closely."

He walked out of the living room but not before glancing at her one last time. "You can have tonight and tomorrow off, Baby Girl. I got clients to disappoint."

He slammed the door on the way out leaving the blonde alone in the room. She slowly picked her bow and made her way over the couch, gasping for air and nursing her wounds. As she sat down she let out a groan and looked up at the ceiling.

"...At least I have tomorrow off."

She never noticed that outside the dark window of the room was a crow sitting on the roof of the building next to the complex. Normally this would be considered normal but if she had seen its eyes she would been able to easily point out the one distinguishing feature the crow had but shouldn't be possible.

The crow's eyes were greyish-purple, including the sclera with six rings surrounding its pupil.


	16. Aftermath

**The New Dawn**

Xxx

"He did what?! WHAT?!"

Two well dressed men emerged into a large office with a red carpet covering the floor, a long table with chairs lined around it, and a desk at the very end of the office facing the large window that showed the city. In front of the desk were three men, all dressed in business attire watching as their boss's secretary gave her report.

"Our concern is the one who ordered the theft of the android. He goes by the name of Red Hood." The secretary known only as Ms. Li carefully and calmly presented the report. "And then there is the report of Sportsmaster attempting to take what was left and those cloaked individuals who destroyed what was left."

The woman looked to be in her early thirties with black neatly pulled into a pony tail that fell down her shoulders with glasses over her eyes and earrings clipped onto her ears. She was dressed to look completely professional as she held up the report in one hand and a pen in the other as she listened to her boss.

"I don't care what he calls himself or who showed up. Do you idiots know how many bidders I had on Amazo? A list of puppet dictators and psychos as long as my arm, millions shot straight to Hell and WHO'S MONEY IS THAT?!" The man sitting on the chair that faced the window shouted.

"Your money." Ms. Li answer nonchalantly.

"MY MONEY! MINE!" The chair spun around, allowing everyone to see the man known as the Black Mask.

Only one of his men winced at the sight of their boss while the others simply stood straight and still, after all they had seen it before. He wore white pants, a white jacket, and a purple dress shirt under it but the most defining feature was his face.

It was black like coal with no form of hair whatsoever and it was shaped like a skull making it look like his head's skin had been completely burned off. His eyes were red with huge dark circles surrounding them.

"This score was a game changer." Black Mask stood up and walked around his desk. "Amazo was going to buy my way up into high-end international trafficking."

He walked up to his men with Ms. Li casually following him as he ranted.

"Now I'm forced to keep rooting around in this local leg breaking garbage. And he gives me bat trouble...Who blows the robot's damn head off and then those super humans smash it's body to bits! I could have at least sold it for scrap but those freaks had to destroy what was left and Batman collected what was left of the head!"

"Yes, Batman likes to keep things." Ms. Li commented.

Black Mask apparently calmed down as he straightened himself. "Look, this circus act, this Red Foot..."

"Red Hood." Ms. Li corrected.

"Whatever." Black Mask reigned in the usual tantrum that was eager to bust its way out through his mouth...for the tenth time that night. "He's dead. Along with those cloaked freaks... Take care of it." Black Mask then looked at the newest of his men, staring at his face. "You, new guy."

"Sir!" The young blond straightened up as Black Mask walked up to him.

"Don't be nervous, kid." Black Mask leaned in closely towards the man's face. "But if you keep staring at me like that, I'm going to cut your eyes out."

The man nervously looked away for a second and looked back to see the end of Black Mask's fist slamming into his nose. He fell onto the ground, cradling his nose as he looked back up.

"Give me the specs on tonight's shipment." Black Mask turned and walked back to his desk.

"Yes sir." The man, Leon stood up. "It's ten cases of assorted SMGs and PDWs along with five thousand point forty five caliber ACP rounds, your personal favourite and two cases of RPGs. It's all bought and paid for so this is strictly a delivery not a buy. But in view of recent events I have taken the liberty of doubling security and switching the drop spot."

"Good. Now get out." Black Mask growled.

Leon wisely did as he was told and walked towards the doors. With his back turned to them they did not notice the mischievous smirk on his face as he opened the door and walked out.

"Now who the hell were those cloaked freaks?" Black Mask asked.

"Unknown sir but we know that at least two of them are meta-humans. One was a girl with blonde hair who seemed to have Earth based powers while the other was a man with dark green hair who could shape shift and regenerate any wounds he sustained in the fight with Sportsmaster. The other two fought using only hand to hand combat skills before the fifth one seemingly teleported with all of them." Ms. Li reported. "We are currently investigating their identities but we have not yet found anything conclusive."

"Doesn't matter who they are, I want them dead too and fast." Black Mask growled. "Send out word of these creeps to all our usual employees and tell them if they so much as see a little brat dressed like those freaks there's a million dollar reward for the head."

"Yes sir." Ms. Li nodded.

Xxx

Leon walked down the hall and opened the door to a broom closet where there was someone knocked out and on the floor.

"Sorry about that." The man vanished in a puff of smoke and Naruto dressed in his shinobi gear appeared. "But the boss needed to hear this."

The Shadow Clone then placed his hand on the knocked out Leon's head and transferred his memory of the meeting to Leon's mind so he would believe he had actually been there and not tell Black Mask that he had been knocked out by an imposter. With that done he quickly transported Leon home and vanished in a puff of smoke, sending his memories back to the real Naruto.

Xxx

A helicopter landed on top of the building were five men dressed in coats with hoods covering their faces were waiting.

"What are they waiting around for? Seriously." The co-pilot sighed.

One of them opened the hatch and stepped onto the elevator.

"Hey, protocol says I'm only supposed to be on the ground for six minutes." The pilot said, wondering only one of them was moving.

They soon found out why when a gun was pointed at them.

"It's okay, I won't be staying that long." The man pulled his hood down revealing the red metallic mask underneath.

He kicked them out of the helicopter and into the other men, knocking them down and revealing they were all bound and gagged. Red Hood tossed his disguise aside and sat down in the pilot's seat. Seizing the control throttle he aimed the helicopter up, unaware that someone was pointing what looked like a rocket launcher at the copter. The launcher fired what looked like a missile with a cable attached to its end that drilled through the hull and released an electrical spark that started short circuiting the controls.

"And I almost thought he wouldn't show." Red Hood looked out the window, seeing Batman holding the launcher with Batgirl next to him.

"Just where do you get these toys?" Batgirl asked.

"Stay sharp. We're not done." Batman replied.

"You want to dance?!_ Let's dance._" Red Hood aimed the control throttle down, sending the helicopter down towards the road.

"Is that going to hold?" Batgirl asked.

"No." Batman ran forward.

"So should I..." Batgirl trailed off as Batman left her behind; she sighed and pulled a large gun like weapon and used to fire metal bands to hold the cable down on the roof.

As the chopper fell to the street below Red Hood jumped out and landed on the roof of a smaller building and watched as Batman jumped down after the helicopter. Batman fired another projectile with a cable attached to it and then aimed his grabbling gun up and fired it back up at the building he jumped off. He then attached the cable to his projectile launcher forming a long rope that would hopefully stop the helicopter's fall. Luckily it stopped right above the street while Batman slid down the cable but he was sliding too fast, smoke rising from his gloves as he kept a grip on the tether.

Batgirl swung at him behind and grabbed his hand and they both swung back up towards the Red Hood.

"Okay then, nice night for a run." Red Hood turned and took off running.

He jumped off the building he was on and landed on the wood made floor of a building still under construction. Angling himself so that his feet landed first he crashed through the first floor and then angled himself down so that his shoulder hit the ground next. The floor fell down to the next floor below and Red Hood instinctively rolled down before hopping back up to his feet and took running again. He turned the corner just as Batman and Batgirl landed on the floor behind him and chased after him.

Red Hood glanced behind to see Batman throw a batarang but Red Hood jumped through a blue curtain, easily avoiding the bat shaped projectile aimed at his back. He ran through the incomplete interior, rammed through an unfinished wall and picked up a barrel with a flammable sign on it. He jumped through the window on the other side and spun around, tossing the metal barrel back up at the window and pulled out his gun. Batman was just at the window when he saw Red Hood aim and pull the trigger.

Batman spun around and jumped as the metal barrel exploded and jumped over a pile of wood to take cover. Batgirl took cover behind a pile next to him and when the blast faded they were back up to their feet and resumed the chase. They jumped out of the broken window and landed on roof of another incomplete building, spying Red Hood running along the I-beams that made up the structure of the unfinished section. Jumping from beam to beam Red Hood kept running until he came upon the edge and then jumped out and onto the roof a smaller building nearby.

Bending his knees slightly before he landed he rolled forward and jumped back to his feet as he kept on running. As bats kept on chasing him as he jumped from building to building without end in sight Red Hood ran around a corner and jumped onto the top of police blimp that was passing the building. Once he landed on the top he turned around, crouched down, and pulled out two guns that were aimed at Batman as he came around the corner. The Dark Knight moved back around the corner as the first shots hit the wall right next to him while Batgirl stopped next to him.

"He's good." Batgirl remarked.

"Yes, he's putting on quite a show." Batman agreed, not sounding nearly as impressed as his protégé.

He adjusted the camera built into his mask to get a better view, spotting Red Hood having jumped off the blimp and onto the building on the other side. Both bats jumped onto the blimp and then onto the building, landing behind the Red Hood as he ran down the edge of the building and around the corner. As the red masked man moved to jump off the building again Batman pulled out a batarang with a cable attached it and flung at the vigilante. However as cable wrapped around his leg the Red Hood pulled out a knife and easily cut through the cable.

"He's very good." Batgirl's eyes went wide from how easily the man escaped the same move that had caught more than one criminal.

Red Hood kicked off the wall of another building and landed on the edge of another, overlooking a train station covered by a large glass made house.

"We got him." Batgirl said as they stopped at the edge and spotted him. He was now in a position that offered no escape besides a long jump...unfortunately this man was not the average criminal.

Red Hood surprised them both by jumping down towards the train station, grabbing a cable to slow his descent and let go, crashing through the glass window and landing inside the station. Though he had not been as graceful as Bruce's oldest partner, Robin, the training was clearly there and the man had known exactly how to take an impossible jump and execute acrobatic feats that had given the Bat Clan its advantage in the city for so long.

"That's impressive." Batgirl remarked.

"Nothing we haven't seen before." Batman jumped down with Batgirl following him.

"If you say so."

They landed on the outer platform of the station, carefully looking for the red masked man.

"Think we lost him?" Batgirl asked.

Batman was about to answer when he stopped, hearing a familiar kind of beeping sound. Nearby on the metal beams was an explosive charge!

"Move!" Batman hollered as they both turned away, barely making it a few steps before the charge detonated and sent them both flying. Batman expertly rolled as he landed, avoiding injury, however Batgirl's flight was taking her towards the edge of the train station where only a window separated her from a fall several hundred feet high...

A window that was already cracking before she had hit it, compliments of the explosion rocking the station. A cry escaped from her as she found herself falling. In her panic she flailed her arms and tried to go for her grapple gun, only to find that it had been knocked from her belt. She had a secondary one located in her boot, but with her body tumbling head over heel and the ground approaching so fast she wasn't able to grab it in time-

Something suddenly broke her fall, coming at her from the side and catching her. An arm wrapped around her as she felt herself being pressed against a form. They flew through the air for a few seconds before landing on a roof of a small building beneath the high up strain station. Batgirl's saviour gently set her down on her feet as she regained her bearings and looked up at the masked individual.

He wore a white long flowing cloak with a high collar and was decorated with a strange eye on the back, red flames at the bottom, and the kanji **Nidaime Rikudo Sennin**(Second Sage of the Six Paths). Underneath the cloak he wore dark blue pants, a sleeveless armoured vest over a sleeveless black shirt. He had a conical straw hat over his head and face mask that covered everything under his bright blue eyes.

"Well this is something I wasn't expecting." The man remarked with a chuckle. "You go out for a simple run and you end up saving a pretty red head that fell from the sky."

Batgirl stepped away, fighting the small blush that appeared on her face as looked over the stranger.

"See something you like?" The man asked.

"Who are you?"

"Sorry, that's a secret for now." The man turned around. "Your mentor is looking for you."

"Batgirl!"

She looked up to see Batman descending towards the building she was on. She turned to the blonde man who saved her but to her shock he vanished much like how Batman would.

'So that's how it feels.' Batgirl thought. 'Just who was that guy?'

Xxx

**Bat Cave**

Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon both watched the recording of Red Hood as he fled from them earlier that night.

"He's seriously got some moves. And I hate to point out the obvious..." Barbara started.

"And still it is often what you do." Alfred said as stood on the left side of the chair Bruce was sitting in.

"I'm just chatty." Barbara smiled and shrugged. "I'm just saying that this guy has skills. He's been trained and trained well. Like right there..."

She pointed at the recording of Red Hood slicing the cable Batman fired at his leg. "There. He sliced the cable off his ankle before it went taut. You don't just do that. That has to be practiced, learned."

"And then there is the knife." Bruce offered.

"What about it?" Barbara asked.

"You know many knives that can cut my lines?" Bruce asked as he glanced at Barbara.

"Not many." Barbara realized.

"No. Not many." Bruce brought up an image of Sportsmaster and the girl with him. "I ran a complete background run on Sportsmaster and his apprentice. Lawrence Crook, born in Vietnam, trained by mercenaries when he was young, recruited by the League of Shadows, and married to former assassin Huntress."

"Former?" Barbara asked as a picture of a woman with short black hair dressed in a tight jump suit that was colored burnt orange appeared on the screen.

"She was crippled in a heist gone wrong when a police sniper shot her. The bullet hit her spinal column and left her paralyzed. She's been in federal prison for the last five years." Bruce continued. "I did some more digging and I discovered they had two daughters."

Two pictures appeared with the first picture showing a young teenage girl with black hair, olive colored skin that showed her Vietnamese heritage while the second was a sixteen year old teenage girl with long blond hair tied in a pony tail with the same skin as the first girl. They both had the same dark grey eyes.

"Jade Nguyen Crock and Artemis Lian Crock. The older sister, Jade, ran away a year after Huntress was incarcerated while Artemis has been going to Gotham High for the last four years." Bruce looked over the information.

"That had to be her." Barbara thought of the blond she fought at the docks. "It's got to be her."

"There is no doubt that Sportsmaster has been training her, possibly to join the League of Shadows but so far it seems there are no casualties reported that lead back to her. She held back against you and that other girl she fought at the docks." Bruce continued.

"If she's trying to resist maybe we can help her." Barbara offered.

"No...we can't." Bruce closed his eyes.

"Why not?"

"Sportsmaster no doubt has made sure to cover all of his tracks and since no abuse charges were filed against him there is no way to prove anything we suspect him of." Bruce explained. "Like it or not he's in the clear for now."

"So what about the Red Hood and the Akatsuki? They're still out there." Barbara pointed out.

"Hm...Go home for now, Barbara." Bruce said after a moment of silence.

"Bruce I can still help." Barbara protested.

"You already have. Thank you." Bruce said, typing the keyboard like nothing weird happened. "Go rest up."

"O...kay. But you know where to find me if you need me." Barbara turned around but leaned against Alfred. "He did just thank me. Right?"

"Indeed he did, Madame." Alfred replied.

"Weird."

Bruce turned back to the screen and pressed rewind the moment the train passed in front of Red Hood.

"You haven't lost your touch..." The rest was cut off by the train.

He rewound it again and enhanced the sound of Red Hood's voice. "...your touch, Bru..."

Bruce narrowed his eyes as he filtered out the background noise caused by the train and played the recording again. "You haven't lost your touch, Bruce!"

Bruce stood up, knocking the chair over as he stood. He looked at the screen with widened eyes.

That voice...

It couldn't be!

Xxx

"Maybe my last request was too mired in subtly." Black Mask leaned forward on the nice couch he sat on. "I want this man _dead_. When I say 'dead' I mean seriously dead. Beaten, broken, his head mounted on my wall kind of dead!"

"Understood." Ms. Li calmly replied. "We'll be taking precautions at every transaction..."

"Screw that!" Black Mask stood up. "Time he learns that this is contact sport. We're going on offense. Rough up _his_ business. Something big, something loud! When he shows up to shut us down have a party waiting for him, and when I say 'party' I actually mean a whole lot of people who are going to kill him!"

"I figured." Ms. Li didn't even raise an eyebrow at her boss's outburst.

"Just being clear." Black Mask walked past her.

Xxx

**Gotham Academy**

**Next Day**

Light shined down on Gotham City as the sun rose up and students were already waking up and preparing for their next day of class. One student was already wide awake and standing on the roof the girl. She wore the typical school uniform with long flowing white hair for the soft wind to blow through with the left side of her face obscured by her hair.

"...You going to show your face or not?" She asked even though no one was there.

A dark figure wearing a black body suit and a cape appeared behind her.

"_How's school, sis?_" The man asked in an electronic voice. "_Learn anything new?_"

The girl rolled her blue eye at the man's attempt at humor. "You know why I called you here?"

"_Something about those red cloud cloaked guys showing up here._" The man answered, becoming serious. "_How'd you know?_"

"Black Mask has placed a bounty for information on anyone wearing a cloak like the ones who showed up at Gotham Docks last night. Those guys...they were in Jump City weren't they?" The girl narrowed her eye as she turned around.

"_Yep. Met one of those guys when I went looking for Xenothium and he took out a psycho._"

"They had something to do with _his_ disappearance. I know it." The girl stated.

"_I won't bother asking why you think that; knowing you, you've already been over to his little volcano base to take a look around, pick up some forensics..._" The masked individual waved one hand. "_And you found absolutely nothing._"

"The same thing the Titans found according to their database." The girl shut her eye and rested one on the other side of her face, brushing at what lay beneath the white locks. "Along with the other investigations into Akatsuki encounters. No DNA, human or otherwise, is ever found when the Akatsuki come out to fight."

She looked at the man, known as the thief Red X. "So tell me little brother, what have _you_ found out about them?"

"_Just that there's five or more of 'em._" Red X shrugged. "_Met their supposed leader once at the laboratory. Charming fellow, little funny when he tries to be scary._" The left eye of his mask raised a bit, matching the expression beneath it. "_Thinking of going to ask him about Daddy-O?_"

"While our father has been dead to me for a long while, I'd still like to know how he expired." The girl nodded. "If you find anything-"

"_Say no more, it'll be sent to you at the first chance I get._" Red X nodded. "_You know I never hide anything from you, Rosie._"

"...I told you to never call me that again." The girl's jaw tightened a bit.

"_Now what kind of brother would I be if I didn't disobey you very once in a while?_" Red X chuckled.

"...I know you don't need the mask for the voice synthesizer to work," Rose looked at her brother. "Why don't you take it off?"

"_And cause a baby somewhere to die from the sight of my face? Are you mad, woman?_" Red X sounded like Rose was the weird one out of the pair. "_Are you insane? Are you bonkers? Are you...being yourself as usual?_"

Rose groaned in exasperation. "Oh get lost you rodent. Go find a convenience store and rob me a drink."

"_Now that you mention it I saw a nice little shop with ice cream sandwiches._"

Rose raised one brow in a bit of interest. "What kind?"

Suddenly a gloved hand waved a partially unwrapped ice cream sandwich with vanilla ice cream between two slices of chocolate.

"_El Classic._"

Rose took it and bit into it. "...you're forgiven, now get lost."

Red X chuckled, setting one hand on his hip as he shook his head. "_Love you too sis, have fun in class._" He vanished from view right in front of her.

Xxx

"This is an interesting development...Sportsmaster."

The tall mercenary stood in the middle of a very luxurious room with book shelves lining the walls with a fancy red carpet covering the floor, expensive looking furniture in front of a fire place, all belonging to the man who stood at the end of the room in front of the large windows. The man was dressed in a green cloak with gold buttons while under the cloak he wore an expensive green suit. He had a long black moustache on his face and black hair with grey streaks. This man was Ra's Al Ghul, leader of the League of Shadows, the Demon's Head and one of Batman's most dangerous enemies.

"These cloaked beings...You say they wore cloaks with red clouds." Ra's Al Ghul turned to face the tall mercenary.

"Yes sir." Sportsmaster nodded.

Ra's Al Ghul closed his eyes and sighed as he pulled out a communicator. "Ubu, send her in."

A moment later the doors opened and in walked a young lady with wild black hair dressed in green slightly torn kimono and a mask resembling grinning cat walked into the room. The woman looked at the man for an instant and Sportsmaster caught the very small clenching of her right fist before she faced Ra's Al Ghul.

"You sent for me, master?" She bowed her head.

"I did." Ra's Al Ghul nodded. "There's been a development in Gotham during a mission with Sportsmaster and his...current apprentice."

To her credit, Cheshire did not react to who Ra's was referring to.

"And they encountered a group of cloaked individuals...cloaks that were decorated with red clouds." Ra's continued, watching Cheshire realize who he was talking about. "The same kind of cloaks worn by those two you encountered at the HIVE Academy. Now it seems they have expanded with new members and have appeared in Gotham."

Cheshire had not forgotten her encounter with Pein at the HIVE Academy and how easily he bested her both times she fought him. She remembered the kunai he had given her and the strange power his eyes held. She reported to Ra's Al Ghul that he had impressive fighting skills and those gravity powers he had shown several times but she kept the kunai secret since she wanted to fight him again. She didn't understand how a single kunai could summon him but she kept it all the same and planned to use it in their rematch.

"You wish to send me to Gotham?" Cheshire asked. "I assure you, Master; I am better prepared this time."

"No. I have no interest in involving myself in this conflict. Sportsmaster has informed me that the Black Mask has contacted him along with several other associates to deal with the Red Hood and this Akatsuki and possibly drown the city in blood in the process." Ra's Al Ghul shook his head. "Sportsmaster has been tasked with gathering information on this new group after he delivered his report on the failed retrieval of the Amazo android. There is also another matter...the matter of young Artemis's reluctance. She's slipping away."

Both assassins stood in rapt attention as Ra's remained silent for a moment.

"Of all times for this to be happening it is more than an inconvenience now. I find myself growing impatient with her stubbornness. She will be given one more chance on the next mission Sportsmaster takes and if she fails the test again...Then we will have to either reprogram her or dismiss her." Ra's almost sounded slightly regretful. "Her defiance is a hindrance to our goals and it is becoming difficult to allow this to continue."

Neither assassin said anything or reacted but if one took a very close look they would have seen Cheshire's right finger twitch. With that said Ra's dismissed them and they walked out of the room.

"So...will you do it?" Cheshire asked as she reluctantly walked alongside Sportsmaster down the hall.

"Do what?"

That was an obvious lie but Cheshire played along. "Put her through reprogramming or will you...dismiss her?"

"Why so curious? You want to do it?" Sportsmaster sneered. "Careful, Little Girl. You might sound concerned and we wouldn't want anyone to hear that or there'd be trouble."

Cheshire scoffed and looked away. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"She's an asset like everyone else around here and right now she's pushing her luck. Every mission, every order, she almost does it perfectly but when it comes to the biggest part she holds back and forces me or someone else to do it. I think she's even starting to become a fan of those so called _heroes_ she sees on the news. I teach her everything she needed to know, take her with me on missions to give her the experience, taught to her to be strong and she does this to me, my own daughter." Sportsmaster sighed and shook his head. "Where did I go wrong?"

'Do I even need to start?' Cheshire thought but said nothing.

"If she fails again she'll either have to go through _extreme_ discipline if she wants to live and that's all there is to it. She was raised to be obedient like you were no matter how you acted and she can't fight it off for very long. No one can defy Ra's Al Ghul when they join the Shadows, willingly or not." Sportsmaster ended the conversation.

Cheshire stood and watched as he walked away and left her in the hall.

'Artemis, you can't keep testing their patience and hope Mom will be out in time. Just pack your stuff and get the hell out of there.'

That was wishful thinking and she knew it. The girl would hold on until her mother was released from prison but that was probably a few years away from happening and by then Ra's would put her through reprogramming if she failed again. If you were a member of the League of the Shadows then you had to follow the guidelines: loyalty to the cause then your own life, obedient, and skilled in stealth and weaponry. Sportsmaster trained her in archery and hand to hand combat, teaching everything she would need to survive the Life, but she refused to bow down and accept it.

She heard from people like Ra's or even Sportsmaster that no matter how hard she was pushed she refused to go through with the initiation that had been offered to her on every mission. She refused to complete the missions and was punished for it, and now Ra's was getting impatient.

BEEP!

"Hm?" She pulled out a small communicator and opened it. "Now who could that be?"

Xxx

"So the Akatsuki are now in Gotham?" Brother Blood leaned back in his chair as he looked at the report on the computer screen.

He glanced down at the new hand that had been cloned from his old one and attached to his arm. It had taken some time to get used to his new hand but he now could use it as well as his old one.

"Yes Headmaster."

Bumblebee along with Jinx, Gizmo, Mammoth, Kid Wykkyd, and See-More were assembled in front of him.

"Good work, Bumblebee." Blood smirked at the students in front of him. "I knew it'd be only a matter of time before Pein and his group would resurface, even if I didn't expect them to be in Gotham so soon. I can't let this opportunity slip me by...Bumblebee!"

"Yes Headmaster?" Bumblebee bowed her head.

"You and the others will go to Gotham and track down Pein and his group, apprehend them and bring them to me." Blood grinned sinisterly. "I underestimated Pein last time but I know you are more than capable of leading this team to take him out. I want him here, in front of me, beaten down and ready to join this academy as a true student."

"Yes Headmaster." Bumblebee and the rest of the HIVE students bowed their heads as they left.

'Pein, you will suffer dearly for humiliating me.'

Xxx

Robin had just come back from another lead when Starfire and the others had called him to the newly rebuilt living room.

"I got your call, Star. What is it?" Robin asked as he stepped into the room.

"Robin, you have...a call." Starfire said as the screen came.

Robin was not expecting the person he was seeing on the screen to actually appear. When he left Gotham he did it with the intention of severing all contact with anyone there.

"Hi, Robin." Batgirl said with a small wave.

"Batgirl." Robin said, covering up his surprise. "Hi...why are you calling?"

"Can't an old friend call?" Batgirl asked with a small grin before turning it into serious look. "That and...those cloaked guys, the Akatsuki are here in Gotham."

That made all the Titans look at her intently.

"What do you mean?" Robin asked quickly.

Batgirl brought up images of the Akatsuki members she faced at the docks. "They showed up after Batman and I stopped a shipment carrying a dangerous weapon for the Black Mask."

"No way. They clean house here and suddenly they head straight to Gotham!" Beast Boy voiced everyone's surprise.

"That explains why we didn't hear from them. They completely vanished from the city." Cyborg pointed out.

"And I'm just hearing about it..." Robin darkly muttered.

Why did he even bother to be surprised? Of course Batman wouldn't tell him about this. He's not the Caped Crusader's sidekick anymore.

"They haven't killed anyone yet. That's been the Red Hood's doing." Batgirl brought up the image of the Red Hood. "This guy's the one who's been reducing crime, killing off gangsters, drug dealers, and stealing territory from the Black Mask."

"Another one." Robin noted. "He does look like the original."

"Original?" Starfire asked.

"The Red Hood's a criminal persona that's been used by more than one criminal. I helped arrest several of them while I was still in Gotham." Robin answered.

"Crime is down because of him and all the Akatsuki did was destroy the remains of a robot that the assassin known as Sportsmaster tried to steal." Batgirl continued. "I tried fighting one of them head on and even if he didn't hurt me he was stronger than I thought. I know you and...Batman had a fight but...there's a lot going on here, Robin. Black Mask is hiring dangerous people all over the place to track Red Hood and maybe the Akatsuki down, the Red Hood's becoming a crime lord, Batman's trying to contain and the Akatsuki are probably sitting back, watching it all happen."

Robin remained silent for a moment as everyone looked at him. "Thanks, Batgirl."

Batgirl only sighed as she ended the transmission.

"Robin?" Starfire asked.

"Guys, I'm going back to Gotham to check this out. Cyborg's in charge until I get back." Robin said as he turned and walked towards the door.

"But Robin..." Starfire started.

"No buts, Star. Gotham's too dangerous for you guys, I grew up there so I can look after myself there. You guys need to look after the city and protect it in case something happens while I'm gone." Robin stopped and looked at them. "I'll call when I have a lead on the Akatsuki but in the meantime just look after things around here."

The Titans just stared at him as he walked out of the room.

Xxx

In a large and well decorated office as the one used by Black Mask a man sat in a large comfy chair looking over several documents when he heard a knock on the large pair of nice looking doors on the other end.

"Come in."

In walked a man wearing a business suit carrying an envelope.

"Sorry to bother you sir but something's come up in Gotham." He said respectfully.

"What is it?" The man asked impatiently.

Instead of answering he handed his boss the envelope and the man opened it. He pulled out photos and looked them over. His eyes widened when he saw the photos.

"These were taken by satellite imagery from one of Black Mask's accounts." The messenger explained.

"Does anyone know about this?" The man frowned heavily.

"No sir. They were delivered with instructions of complete confidentiality and to be seen only by you. Black Mask has ordered a hit on them though and knowing how Gotham is it's only a matter of time before every criminal, assassin, and super villain will come looking for an easy score." The messenger pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right." The man gritted his teeth. "Get me jet up and running. I want to be at Gotham now and make sure no one knows about it. Tell Selim I want him along as well and when I get there organize with Black Mask and any other crime lord still alive."

"Yes sir." The messenger bowed his head and left.

The man didn't look up as the door closed, simply looking over the pictures.

"So...if one is back the others probably are as well..." The man sighed. "Well, it's been nearly over a century so I guess a reunion is in order."

Xxx

ACHOO!

"You okay, Envy?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah. Some stupid human must be trying to give me their cold. I thought this new body was like a Homunculus so why am I getting a damn cold?" Envy rubbed his nose.

"You know," Terra said after setting down her milk shake. "They say that when somebody talks about you, you sneeze."

They were all in a restaurant enjoying their breakfast and a nice quiet morning since the previous night had been a little hectic. Naruto wore a black T-shirt with a spiral symbol on his right shoulder, blue jeans, and white and blue sneakers. Terra was wearing a gray tank top over a black short sleeved shirt with hip hugging bicycle shorts and brown shoes. Danielle wore an aqua blue tank top with red shorts that stopped at her knees and white sneakers.

Envy was back in the form that resembled a blond haired man with Edward Elric's eyes wearing a dark grey short sleeved shirt and pants with black shows. Alex wore his usual clothing but kept his hood down to not attract attention.

Envy snorted. "Pah! That's a bunch of-"

"You're in a world filled with super powered aliens, sorcerers who can change the fabric of reality and advanced cybernetic beings that could equal you in strength and power, yet you _don't _believe in that one little rumor?" Naruto raised one brow, an amused smile on his face.

"...shut up and let me eat my cake." Envy said before swallowing a whole slice of chocolate cake...a cake that was reserved only for him-and god help whoever tried to steal even a lick of icing!

"Envy, there's such thing as table manners!" Danielle protested from the next table over where she and Alex sat.

"Says the girl who scarfs down nachos like Gluttony does with a dead animal." Envy countered before realizing that a slice of his cake was missing... "HEY!"

Alex was calmly chewing on said slice. "...might not have to eat, but when it tastes good it tastes good." He shrugged as Envy glared at him and Danielle sent him a questioning glance. "...what? I'd go mad if I didn't ever taste anything again. And absorbing people isn't exactly something that tingles the taste buds."

"Ugh...I'm losing my appetite," Danielle groaned as she pushed her plate of pancakes away from her.

"Damn it." Envy sat back and crossed his arms. "Centuries into the future and I still can't enjoy simple chocolate in peace."

"Oh stop being a drama queen." Terra shook her head. "We're here for a nice breakfast not for whining."

Naruto smirked but a frowned a second later when he sensed something very familiar.

"Nar, what's up?" Terra noticed Naruto's frown.

"We have a call waiting." Naruto made a sign and activated his Mind Connection Jutsu and then activated another technique.

Xxx

In a cave far from Gotham City a small lantern lit up and several holographic images appeared around it.

"Whoa. Is this that astral projection technique you told us about?" Danielle asked, noticing the static sound in her voice.

"Yep, perfect for communications." Naruto glanced at three familiar figures that appeared with them. "Jinx, Kid, and See-More, it's good to hear from you again."

"Same here, Nar." See-More's single large eye looked around the cave. "Wow. When you have us those seals you never said about real it would look. It's like I'm actually here."

"Still freaks me out." Envy looked down at his transparent body. "Why'd you call us anyway?"

"Nar, we found out what Brother Blood is planning, at least for Jump City." Jinx's pink eyes turned to Naruto's image. "He's building some kind of underwater weapon with a giant sonic cannon, a giant version of Cyborg's sonic cannon."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "So Blood was able to steal plans for Cyborg's weapon? Must have been when he was trying to discover Blood's plans when he was undercover."

"Apparently. He's setting it up underwater near the coast of Jump City but when he has it up and ready he'll be able to create a tidal wave so big it'll flatten and drown the city in one big crash." See-More explained.

"That's his big plan? What's the point of destroying an entire city?" Terra asked. "Sounds like something Slade would do."

"That's not all. He's heard that you guys are in Gotham and he's sending us along with Bumblebee to find you and take you back to him, beaten and broken." Jinx continued.

"I see he's still pissed about the hand." Naruto remarked with amusement.

"Oh, he got a new one but he's still angry. But yeah, he's sending us while he stays behind to continue building his new underwater base." See-More nodded.

"Meaning that it's possible that Slade and Blood were part of the same plan." Naruto said, earning their attention. "Both had different motives but same agendas it seems in destroying Jump City. It's possible that even though they were not affiliated with each other they might be working along the same goals."

"So they were all part of something else? Like what?" Danielle asked.

"I don't know yet but if that is the case you three might be in greater danger than I thought if Blood discovers you." Naruto looked at the three undercover operatives. "Has Blood been watching you?"

"No. He's only been keeping Bumblebee with him as he oversees the final details of the construction. He's only had us running small time errands for him and we managed to hear about it from a couple of loose mouths." Jinx shook her head. "He hasn't made any contacts with anyone outside of the HIVE group he has here or any of the students."

"This means he's more interested in revenge on the Titans and possibly me than re-establishing the HIVE Academy. Good work you three. If Blood has you running small time operations it's unlikely he'll have you at the base. Keep an eye on it and see if the Titans get wind of it. If you think that it'll be too late for the Titans to do anything use the kunai I gave you to summon me back." Naruto instructed.

"Got it, Nar." See-More help up his thumb.

Kid nodded.

"Hope to see you soon, Nar." Jinx sounded like she was smiling as the images faded from the cave.

Xxx

"Here's your coffee, sir."

"Ah, thank you."

The blonde haired girl smiled as she walked away from the table and back behind the counter to pick up a cloth to clean up a table that had just been emptied of its customers.

"Artemis, closing time." The man at the cashier called out. "You're payment is in the back."

"Okay, thanks." She took off the apron and hung it on the wall in the kitchen.

She picked up the money she earned and left the cafe. She sighed as she pocketed the money and sat on a bench.

'An entire day off and I have no idea what to do.' She thought as she stared up at the afternoon sky. 'Just the same schedule, go to school, earn some money at whatever job I have, go home and practice. Same thing day in and day out.'

The same routine for the last five years and nothing new has ever happened. She was on her own now and when she was she was expected to follow the strict schedule left to her by her father. She let out another sigh at the thought of man who been her guardian and only relative she had been with for what felt like a very long time.

'I wonder if I will be on another assignment tonight. And I wonder if this assignment were things will go too far.'

She had no allusions that her continuing defiance will not keep her safe from joining the Life. She knew she was pushing her luck, she knew that her father was running out patience and excuses, and she knew she was running out of time.

'Screw it. If I'm going down soon then I might as well do something different. Something that's _my_ choice.' The girl's face hardened as she stood up. 'I will not spend my whole life under someone else's control without a fight.'

Today she was going to do the one thing she had been forbidden to do as a child: visit her mother.

It was easy to catch a taxi and ask the driver to take her to Gotham State Prison where her mother resided. Her mother would have been shipped off to Belle Reve but since she had been crippled the authorities allowed her to be incarcerated in Gotham's prison for normal criminals which no one objected to. She stepped out of the taxi and walked towards the entrance where the guards would greet her. Sitting at the fence around the prison was the same crow with strange eyes that had watched her the previous night.

Xxx

"Artemis."

This first time she sees her daughter for what feels like a lifetime and the first that comes to her mind is that her baby daughter has _grown_. The little girl who she would tuck in at night and read _Alice in Wonderland_ to before she fell asleep was now a teenage girl that would most likely catch more than a few eyes soon enough. The daughter looks on the mother, seeing the woman who gave her life through the other side of the glass in her wheel chair and prison suit holding the phone to hear her voice.

"Hi mom." Artemis put on a smile. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm...fine dear. I can't believe you came here. Where's your father?"

Artemis frowned. "Work."

The mother looked saddened at the answer. "I see. You came by yourself?"

Artemis nodded. "I came to see you. I can't stand all this waiting and never coming to see you because _Dad_ thinks it would looks suspicious. I can't stand that excuse anymore."

"Did you give the guards your full name?" Paula looked alarmed.

"No." Artemis rolled her eyes. "I used my other name."

Paula sighed in relief."You scared me, Artemis. Do you know what would happen if they learned who you are?"

"At this point I am past the point of caring." Artemis frowned. "Dad's missions are getting more and more like he's trying to force me to actually assassinate someone...anyone. He's pushing me...and I think he's losing patience."

Paula's eyes widened and whispered urgently. "Artemis...you should leave now! Get as far away from Gotham, far from Lawrence, somewhere the Shadows can't find you!"

"If I leave I'll never see you when you get out." Artemis's face hardened. "I'm not leaving you alone."

"And if Lawrence and Ra's lose their patience I'll never see _you_ at all when I get out. You can't expect there to be no repercussions for every time you disappoint him." Paula urged her. "Please, I don't want to lose you too."

Artemis frowned heavily. "...I can't. I won't run away. You know they won't stop looking for me. What good is there in trying to run when you know they'll catch me?"

Paula could only sigh at her daughter's stubbornness. "Oh Artemis..."

Xxx

"So you'll help us bust our buddy out, right?" A dark haired teen dressed in punk clothes asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I was getting a little bored around here anyways." A young female voice dismissed him. "Just give me the money up front and I'll get him out."

The boy held out a small pile of cash for the girl to take and inspect. "I expected a little more."

"We can get the rest when our friend is out and we can get you the rest of the money." The boy quickly said.

"You'd better." The girl turned and walked away.

"Dude, you sure about this." A dark skinned boy with a bandana around his head asked.

"You saw what she did in that zoo. She can get Ricky out and then we dump her so we can keep the rest of the money." The dark haired boy pointed out, earning a smile from his friend.

Xxx

"_You know he and his friends will double cross you._" A deep voice whispered to the girl as she walked down the street.

"Of course I do. Those boys like to think they're _so_ smart but all those little drugs they have has shrunken their already itty little brains." The girl looked down at her money. "Besides when they try to double cross me I'll just turn them into dirty mutts and leave them in some junkyard to hang out with the rest. At least I have some money now."

"_There are simpler ways to get money._"

The girl looked up as a bird with black, grey, and red feathers landed on her right shoulder. "Like what? Who employs a ten year old without some kind of danger in a city like this? Do you realize where we are?"

The girl did indeed look ten years old with lightly tanned skin, purple hair pulled into pig tails with a clip keeping her hair to the left side of her face and purple eyes. She wore black combat boots, black and purple stockings, a black double layered skirt, a black T-shirt, and half a length leather jacket with white fur lining on the edges and cuffs.

"_I'm only saying that this idea would cause problems for us if we're seen. At the very least you could settle for an idea that does not direct any attention to us._" The deep voice seemed to be coming from the bird.

"Yeah right. This is the perfect place to get some action." The girl said as she stopped in front of her destination.

Gotham State Prison.

"All those poor guys, locked up in there with nothing to do. They must be going crazy in there." The girl grinned mischievously. "Well lucky for them Nyx, Lady of Chaos is here to brighten up their lives."

"_...You're not a Lady of Chaos._" The bird pointed out. "_You're not even a teenager or even close to being anything other than Student of Chaos._"

The girl named Nyx glowered. "...Shut up, Ying or I'll summon a pack of cats to eat you."

The bird seemingly rolled its eyes.

"Now then..." Nyx looked around for a moment, trying to see what she could use. "What can I use around here?"

That was when spotted the armed truck that had finished dropping another batch of prisoners to be escorted inside.

"This will do..." Nyx put her hands together and started chanting in Latin.

She slowly pulled her hands apart from each other and an orb of purple energy appeared between her hands. She thrust it towards the truck and watched as orb broke into energy that covered the truck for a second.

"What the?" The driver shot out of the driver's seat and landed on the pavement outside.

The front of the truck changed, now resembling a growling monstrous face as it actually stood up on its back wheels and let out a loud roar. Police officers and guards ran out of the building, letting out gasps and cries of shock as the animated monster truck marched towards the building. They pulled out their guns and shot at it but it let out a loud roar before bending down and shot at them on its wheels.

"Look out!" They jumped out of the way and the monster truck slammed into the entrance, creating a large hole.

The truck pulled out, spitting out pieces of the doors and wall from its mouth that revealed very sharp teeth. It spun around and started chasing the officers around the front yard.

"Now that's better." Nyx grinned. "But we need more."

"_More?_" The bird named Ying started to sound worried.

Nyx clapped her hands. "More!"

She placed her hands on the ground and in a flash of bright purple light snakes made of dirt that were the size of a car sprouted from the ground.

Nyx laughed as she sat on the head of one snake while Ying sat on her right shoulder as it slithered towards the broken entrance. "Forward March!"

The snakes slithered into the building while the monster truck kept the guards from chasing after her. A crow hovered above the spectacle and watched as the earth made snakes entered the prison complex. She looked bored as the snake tore open the doors leading to the prison and the sound of the prisoners shouting at her to let them out in exchange for whatever they had.

"They are too loud." Nyx covered her ears. "They're really starting to get on my nerves." She then got an idea that made her grin. "I know how to make them stop!"

"_Remember one of them is someone you have been paid to release. Wouldn't it be easier to release the guy you're after and then turn them all into mice?_" Ying asked.

"That's brilliant! I'll let them out and when I find the guy I turn the rest into mice!" Nyx proclaimed with a laugh. "I'm a genius."

The bird seemed to smack himself in the face with his own wing as Nyx snapped her fingers. The locks on all the cells in the complex exploded allowing the prisoners to but the doors down and let out triumphant yells as they took their chance for freedom.


End file.
